After six weeks of deliberation, Rep. Bob Good, chair of the House Freedom Caucus from Virginia, lost his renomination attempt to a challenger endorsed by former President Trump.
John McGuire, a Virginia state senator and former Navy SEAL backed by Trump, has emerged victorious in the Republican primary for Virginia’s traditionally Republican 5th Congressional District, located in the southern region of the state.
McGuire was declared the winner following a recount held on Tuesday. Election authorities confirmed that McGuire secured the June primary with a lead of 374 votes out of nearly 63,000 cast, translating to a margin of just six-tenths of a percentage point.
However, since McGuire’s margin of victory was under one percent, Good was eligible to request a recount. He was responsible for the cost of the recount due to the margin exceeding half a percent.
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Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, addresses the media alongside fellow members during a press conference concerning the government funding bill at the U.S. Capitol on March 22, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Good is the first House Republican incumbent in this election cycle to be unseated by a primary challenger, amidst a fierce internal party contest that saw conservatives clashing with each other and Trump facing off against some of his staunch supporters within the House of Representatives.
Good drew Trump’s ire for being one of the few House Republicans to endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the GOP presidential primaries.
Although the two-term congressman refrained from openly criticizing Trump and promptly endorsed him after DeSantis exited the presidential race in January, Trump remarked on his Truth Social platform that “the damage has been done!”
In May, Trump endorsed McGuire, who also enjoyed the backing of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a prominent Trump supporter and critic of Good who dissociated from the House Freedom Caucus last year. This group is regarded as the chamber’s most extreme right faction.
Then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, stands at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, as he was removed from his role as House Speaker. (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also targeted Good, who was one of the eight Republicans who sided with Democrats to vote McCarthy out from leadership last fall.
However, Good had the support of Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds from Florida, both of whom are committed Trump supporters.
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Moreover, fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus, Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Andy Biggs of Arizona, rallied with Good in Virginia this past Friday.
Despite being under fire from Trump, Good emphasized his support for the former president during his re-election campaign.
“Happy Birthday to the best and next president of the United States, President Trump!” Good posted on social media on Friday, coinciding with the former president’s 78th birthday.
Good also made an appearance earlier this spring at Trump’s criminal trial in New York City to demonstrate his support for the ex-president.
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