Boehner's Statement On Eric Cantor's Stunning Primary Loss Reads Like A Eulogy

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Speaker John Boehner released a statement in response to Eric Cantor's surprise primary loss in Virginia on Tuesday, and it sounds like what you would hear at a funeral rather than a post-election upset.

"Eric Cantor and I have been through a lot together," Boehner said, in a written statement. "He's a good friend and a great leader, and someone I've come to rely upon on a daily basis as we make the tough choices that come with governing. My thoughts are with him and Diana and their kids tonight."

Plenty picked up on the rather melancholy tone:

Cantor, the number two Republican in the House of Representatives, suffered a shocking defeat from a Tea Party challenger many had considered a longshot. Challenger Dave Brat was outspent 5-to-1, and wasn't leading in the polls coming into primary day.

"This should be a wake-up call to GOP leadership," tweeted Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas), a Tea Party-aligned Congressman. "No one is safe if they abandon principle."