Current and former staffers for soon-to-step-down House Majority Leader Eric Cantor flooded into the Tune Inn Wednesday for a semi-private shindig featuring some heartfelt sobs, a few laughs and lots of Jameson.  

The aides assembled at the Capitol Hill watering hole shortly before the Virginia Republican took to TV to announce that he would be relinquishing his leadership post , but not his seat, as of July 31. Cantor suffered a bruising defeat at the hands of tea party candidate Dave Brat on Tuesday night.  

Once the news conference was over, the commiserators wiped away their tears and immediately opened their wallets — ponying up $500 and $1,000 apiece in order to cover the $6,500 required to have the bar to themselves from 6 p.m. ’til closing.  

Once the deal was done — staff were instructed to distribute wrist bands to the first 100 guests for what we presume was some sort of open bar scenario (“Everyone else pays,” one bartender alerted her co-worker) — the drinks began flowing (Jack and Cokes, whiskey shots were early favorites) and the jukebox started rocking.  

The playlist was straight ’90s and 2000s rock (Creed, Guns and Roses, Candlebox) — you know, when music mattered. And life was still good.