For nearly six years, Eric Cantor of Virginia was a relatively obscure middle-tier House Republican leader, toiling in the shadow of now-Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri.

But lately, Cantor has a new patron who has pushed him to the fore: Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio.

Boehner has been quietly assembling a new team of allies to fend off jabs from the GOP’s rebellious conservative wing, and possibly to help him hold on to his job in the 111th Congress.

Others in Boehner’s top tier of advisers include Adam H. Putnam of Florida, chairman of the House Republican Conference; Pete Sessions of Texas, a potential successor to Tom Cole of Oklahoma as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC); and Kevin McCarthy of California, a freshman Boehner tapped for the plum job of platform committee chairman for the Republican National Convention.

Of all Boehner’s allies, senior Republicans say, few are closer than Cantor, who has been chief deputy GOP whip since 2003. Although he is not part of Boehner’s circle of personal friends, Cantor has become one of the minority leader’s most important lieutenants.

Boehner said he regards Cantor as someone he needs to mentor as an up-and-coming GOP leader. “As a leader, it’s important to develop the talents of younger members, people like Eric,” Boehner said. “He is very bright and works hard.”

Senior Republicans say Cantor helps Boehner by providing an important seal of approval in negotiations on issues important to the party’s conservative wing, the Republican Study Committee (RSC).

“Boehner is very close to Cantor. He has made it clear he wants Cantor to protect his right flank with the RSC,” said one GOP lawmaker who, like Cantor, is an RSC member.

Cantor’s surprise appearance June 18 at a pair of decisive bipartisan summit meetings on the recently enacted war spending package (PL 110-252) fanned speculation about Cantor’s role in the GOP hierarchy next year. At Boehner’s request, the 45-year-old Cantor was one of three Republican negotiators, along with Boehner and Jerry Lewis of California, the top-ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee.

Across the bargaining table were three senior Democrats, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey of Wisconsin and Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York.

Boehner explained that Blunt was busy handling other issues that day, including negotiations on an overhaul (HR 6304) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (PL95-511), so he brought Cantor.

Jim McCrery of Louisiana, the top Republican on Ways and Means, did not attend the meetings.

Cantor, a four-termer who serves on Ways and Means, dismissed the idea that he is positioning himself for a quick promotion, perhaps as successor to McCrery, who is retiring. “Absolutely not,” Cantor said. “I’m so far down [in seniority], I’m still on the kiddie row on Ways and Means.”

Still, Cantor is not shy about touting his relationship with Boehner. “I work closely with the leader,” he said.

The primary functions of the whip operation are to help leaders count votes and prevent defections on issues important to the party.

But Cantor’s role has grown far beyond those duties. He works behind the scenes as a strategist, advising Boehner on how to placate RSC members who have been pushing Boehner to impose a moratorium on earmarks by Republicans, or at least put the issue to a vote in the GOP conference. Boehner says he supports the moratorium but argues that it lacks consensus support in his caucus.

Cantor joins Putnam and Blunt in Boehner’s daily leadership huddle. He serves as NRCC finance chairman. His Every Republican Is Crucial political action committee (ERICPAC) has raised $1.7 million, second only to Boehner’s among GOP leadership PACs.

And as the only Jewish member of the House GOP caucus, Cantor has agreed to raise $10 million by August as part of an outreach effort to the Jewish community on behalf of Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumed GOP presidential nominee.

Cantor’s name is also among those bandied about as a potential vice presidential nominee.

In a caucus that tends to stress conservatively cut suits and Main Street roots, Cantor adds a bit of flair with his soft-soled Gucci loafers and his penchant for speaking not only to voters but to Wall Street. A lawyer, he also has a master’s degree from Columbia University in real estate development.

Two years ago, Cantor’s allies claimed he had 140 commitments — well more than the 116 votes required — to succeed Blunt as majority whip. But when Blunt lost to Boehner in the midsession floor leader’s election, Blunt decided to hold onto the whip’s post and left Cantor in limbo.

Now, Cantor once again seems poised to move up — if there is a vacancy in the elected leadership next Congress.

A number of rank-and-file Republicans said that top Republicans — including Boehner and Blunt — could be at risk if the GOP suffers losses in November. But Boehner appears determined to hang onto the top job and has assembled a team of leaders-in-waiting in case there are vacancies or contested races after the election.

Like Boehner, Blunt says he’s focused on his own re-election and on helping Republicans win races. In a recent interview, Blunt brushed aside a question about whether he planned to run for another term as minority whip.

“I believe we can win back a Republican majority,’’ Blunt said.