Bob Good faces Trump-backed John McGuire in a contentious primary

Conservative hardliner Bob Good is facing off against Trump-backed John McGuire in a contentious primary on Tuesday where the rift within the MAGA movement will be on full display. The right-wing Freedom Caucus chair lost the support of the president when he initially endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over him. He also turned off a number of House colleagues when he voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.

This week, a fellow Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, even endorsed Good’s opponent. The caucus typically likes to put on a united front. The race has attracted more spending by outside groups – $10.7 million – than any other Virginia races. By comparison, the candidates themselves only spent $1.7 million. Such groups spent some $5.9 million either opposing Good or supporting McGuire.

McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, state senator and election denier who attended the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally on January 6 , 2021, had the backing of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene , R-Ga., who traveled to his district to tell voters Good is a ‘traitor’ to Trump. On the other side, Steve Bannon is backing Good, and told voters in his district ‘this isn’t about Trump’ and the primary challenge was spurred by Good’s McCarthy opposition. Trump conducted a tele-townhall for McGuire on Monday night – the eve of the primary.

The ex-president also tore into Good days after the Freedom Caucus leader went to New York to support him at trial. ‘Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA. He turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement – But really, it was too late,’ Trump repeated again on Truth Social on Monday.

Good originally endorsed Ron DeSantis for president before backing Trump when the Florida governor dropped out of the running. But weeks ago Trump endorsed another DeSantis supporter in Congress: Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick. Trump went on: ‘I just want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person that can most help me do that is Navy Seal and highly respected State Legislator, John McGuire, a true American Hero.’ ‘John, who fought the Cartels on the Front Line, and then came home and fought the drug dealers in Virginia, will ALWAYS PUT AMERICA FIRST.’

Good was one of a handful of right wing lawmakers who traveled to Manhattan on May 16 to support Trump in his criminal trial. McGuire went to New York to court Trump’s support that same day. Good leads the roughly 50-member hard right Freedom Caucus, which is comprised of some of Speaker Mike Johnson’s biggest Republican antagonists.

Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, have come out in support of Good, Greene has supported his challenger. Rep. Derrick Van Orden traveled to the district to support McGuire – as did Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers. Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows supports Good.

‘Bob Good didn’t come here to govern. He came here to be famous,’ Van Orden, a Wisconsin Republican, told CNN. ‘Bob Good’s wearing our jersey, and he’s not on the team.’ Good has local backing in the district’s GOP committee. Rick Buchanan, the chairman of the district’s GOP committee, told Cardinal News last month that a Trump endorsement ‘wouldn’t move the needle that much.’

‘If you listen to McGuire’s campaign, then yes, [Trump] is the issue, because McGuire has nothing else,’ Buchanan said. ‘I’m not seeing where he takes a stance on any real issue, except Bob Good’s no good, and Bob Good is not a Trump supporter, which is a lie. That’s why he’s got the name McLiar.’ Buchanan said Good is trying to run to the right of Good, but ‘there is no position to the right of Bob.’ ‘McGuire has no place to run, he has no issues that he can stand on that Bob hasn’t already taken a stand on.’

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