Jeff Sessions: Cantor Primary Loss 'A Major Defeat' for Immigration Agenda

In an interview that aired on Fox News Channel’s “America’s News HQ”on Sunday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) reacted to a number of issues related to immigration, including the influx of illegal Central American youths at the U.S. southern border and House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor’s (R-VA) loss to Tea Party upstart Dave Brat in last week’s Virginia 7^th congressional district Republican primary.

On Cantor’s loss, Sessions contended immigration was a key issue in that contest.

“I don’t think it’s any doubt about it,” Sessions said. “It was a dominant issue in that campaign, was immigration. You had a smart candidate who was able to articulate it in an effective way and raise questions about the willingness of the incumbent to be clear on it. And rightly or wrongly, people perceived that he was correct. I like and respect Congressman Cantor a lot. But I’ve got to tell you, people in this country are hurting. Their jobs are threatened. Their wages are down significantly in a number of years. And the idea that we’re going to have a bill that would double the flow of illegal immigrants and guest workers into America to take jobs that Americans need to be having is just rejected by the people once it’s clearly articulated.”

Sessions said the pro-immigration forces would still be trying to get their agenda through Congress, but said that Cantor’s loss was a “major defeat” for them.

“The big business and special interests and political interests want it still and are trying to make it happen, but I think this election was a major defeat for that agenda,” he added.

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor