Rep. Cantor: Tea Party activists are not 'outside the mainstream'

House GOP Whip Cantor defends tea party members, says they are not 'outside the mainstream'

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor is taking exception to Democratic assertions that tea party members are "outside the mainstream" of American politics.

Cantor tells CBS's "The Early Show" that tea party activists "are people who are concerned about the fiscal state of this country." If Republicans recapture the House, Cantor says, he'd be willing and able to work closely with the new tea party-backed GOP members as the likely new majority leader.

The Virginia Republican said Friday that the election is "not about personalities . ... People are really upset. They're tired at the spending in Washington." Cantor said he believes the GOP will do very well because "people want leaders in Washington that will be responsive to the will of the people."

This video is from CBS' The Early Show, broadcast Oct. 22, 2010.

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