short? this rally earlier this month for cantor's opponent is part of the answer. >> instead of spending five taliban mvps over there, he could have traded one eric cantor. >> reporter: a conservative radio host made defeating cantor a personal mission and other influential voices joined in the grass roots hitting cantor for his support for legal status for illegal immigrant children. >> if eric cantor gets in and is re-elected, we are going to have amnesty. do you believe that? >> i don't believe it. i know it's a fact. >> reporter: brat, an unknown economics professor and first-time politician with the staff of just two helped his own cause the old-fashioned way, retail politics. >> eric cantor is trying to buy this election with corporate cash from los angeles and new york. he's acting as a conservative in public while working behind the scenes to deliver open borders r for large corporations. >> reporter: cantor did have