School choice advocate silenced
While many celebrate and praise the take down of Majority Leader Eric Cantor, there is something that we have lost in the fog of politics: a huge voice in the fight for school choice. The issue of school choice is something everyone can get behind and is clearly a way to grow our party without compromising our values. Cantor had a passion for the subject even touching on it during his concession speech:
“We need to focus our efforts as conservatives, as Republicans, on putting forth our conservative solutions so that they can help solve the problems for so many working middle class families that may not have the opportunities that we have. We can also put our solutions to work for the most vulnerable. I spent a lot of time on charter schools and education opportunity to make sure that everyone in America can have access to the American dream, starting with education.”
I do believe that losing one of the biggest voices for school choice in Washington is a huge blow to the effort, but my optimism and my hope tell me that others will pick up the torch. Republicans have to promote the values that we have that build the party — this is one of them. Education policy is one of the key policy issues that appeal to those currently outside of the Republican tent.