Eric Cantor lands BIG (pharma) gig in stark reminder that Eric Cantor exists

As blasts from the past go, there’s some I’d just as soon do without. But it is weird when everyone is suddenly like “I forgot all about that guy!” I mean even he is saying that.

Take Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. You may remember him from past burns at the hands of SooperMexican here at Scoop, not to mention one of the most humiliating primary defeats in congressional history.

Well he’s back, and has landed himself one heck of a new gig. Turns out he’s going to be running Big Pharma’s Big Lobbying group.

Yes. Seriously. The lobbying outfit, called PhRMA unironically, announced this week that Cantor will become the powerful pharmaceutical group’s next president and CEO in November.

Politico reported Tuesday:

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington, has selected former Majority Leader Eric Cantor as its next president.

Here’s more brutal set-up to the news, from the Crimson Hub:

Remember back in 2014, when House Majority Leader and theoretical future House Speaker Eric Cantor lost his primary in embarrassing fashion to Randolph-Macon college professor Dave Brat?

At issue in that race were a few things.

Yes, Cantor’s role in pushing comprehensive immigration reform behind the scenes was a factor.

Some rural constituents also did not like what was perceived as his arch-libertarian dogmatic approach to free trade.

Some didn’t think he was tough enough on then-President Obama.

But the biggest reason Cantor lost was that his rural constituents, especially, came to the conclusion that he wasn’t focused on representing them and was more intent on crisscrossing the country and hanging out in Washington, D.C., in furtherance of his national political ambitions.

The article was originally written when Cantor was merely under consideration, but the confirmation followed right after.

Still, there’s always a silver lining:

A parting thought: Pity poor Sen. Bill Cassidy. He has been a staunch ally to PhRMA throughout his time in the Senate, and will be in need of a new job in January. And he doesn’t even appear to be on PhRMA’s shortlist for the gig.

That right there? That warms my cockles.