enthusia enthusiasm, especially the way cantor spent his money. $168,000 at high end steak houses. and there were signs of trouble brewing for cantor. >> when i sit here and listen to mr. brat speak, i hear the inaccuracies. my family is here. [ booing ] >> we are about a country of free speech. >> reporter: this was cantor one month ago, heckled at a local party convention. cantor and his team did take notice more aggressively going after brat. >> brat is running as a republican. >> reporter: in hindsight many sources tell cnn that backfired, elevating brat and firing up his supporters. in fact, brat may have been helped most by cantor himself, who as house majority leader was