McCain VP vetters eye Virginia’s Cantor

Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, has been asked for “personal documents” by Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign, a Republican knowledgeable with the discussions said Saturday.

Mr. Cantor, 45, the chief deputy minority whip in the House, has been mentioned among several Republicans as a possible running mate for Mr. McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

The Republican source, who is familiar with the conversations between Mr. Cantor and the McCain campaign, said Mr. Cantor has been asked to turn over documents, but did not know specifically which records were sought.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because neither the McCain campaign nor Mr. Cantor’s office wishes to discuss the running-mate selection process.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said the campaign would have “no comment on anything related to the vice presidential issue.”

The youthful Virginia lawmaker has been a visible McCain surrogate for weeks, appearing frequently on cable news outlets chiefly to promote the Arizona Republican’s positions on domestic and economic issues. He has been a forceful critic of Democrat Sen. Barack Obama’s resistance to lifting the federal ban on oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Mr. Cantor has strong support among the party’s conservatives, many of whom have been reluctant to embrace Mr. McCain. Mr. Cantor also is Jewish. The nation has never had a Jewish president or vice president. His selection also could shore up a commonly perceived generational weakness for the 71-year-old Mr. McCain.