Cantor-sponsored job fair turns out thousands in Chesterfield

Congressional Whip Eric Cantor (R-7th CD) sponsored a job fair Monday ... and thousands of unemployed Virginians turned out at Chesterfield County's Clover Hill High School.

Tyler Whitley wrote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, worked the crowd by moving along the long line to shake hands and chat with the job-seekers.

He has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama's $787 billion economic-stimulus package; when asked yesterday if the big demand for jobs at the fair showed the need for the stimulus package, Cantor replied, "It shows it's a flop."

With reps from 86 organizations such as Home Depot, MeadWestvaco, and the Air Force, the job fair also offered information about writing resumes and how to avoid foreclosure.

Those working booths included Linwood Cobb, fellow State Central Committee member and chairman of the 7th Congressional District:

Linwood Cobb, a Henrico County businessman and political ally of Cantor, was operating an employment booth on behalf of Mainline Supply Co. "It's very sad -- there are a lot of professionals here," Cobb said. He had interviewed a chemical engineer looking for work.

The job fair received kudos from attendees:

In the Richmond region, the jobless rate was 8.4 percent in June, almost twice the rate of a year ago and higher than the state average of 7.3 percent.

And even churches are laying off people. Jo Blandford will lose her job in religious education at Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Richmond at the end of this month because of downsizing.

She said was pleased with the fair. "It was very professionally done," she said.