Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) is at the center of one of the most hotly contested primaries on Tuesday as several key GOP figures want him out of Congress for different reasons.
The House Freedom Caucus chairman has received the backing of several of his Republican colleagues, but his opponent, Republican state Sen. John McGuire, has received the support of some GOP power players, including former President Donald Trump, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). Here are why those three Republicans are trying to ensure Good has a bad night on Tuesday.
Donald Trump
Trump endorsed Good in 2020 and 2022, but for the 2024 GOP presidential primary, the Virginia congressman chose to support Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, over the former president. When DeSantis dropped out of the race in January, Good flipped his endorsement to Trump, but months later, Trump endorsed against Good.
The former president took a jab at Good during a meeting on Capitol Hill last week and has lambasted the Virginia congressman as bad for his state and the country — largely due to the loyalty factor.
“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. The damage had been done!” Trump said in his Truth Social post endorsing McGuire.
Kevin McCarthy
McCarthy allies have made Good’s race a part of the former House speaker’s revenge tour after he was ousted from the speakership in October 2023. Good was one of the eight Republicans who joined all Democrats to remove McCarthy, making him the first and only speaker to be successfully ousted via a motion to vacate.
Good opposed McCarthy’s speakership bid in January 2023 and remained one of his chief critics until he was one of the key votes to remove him nine months later. McCarthy has attempted to oust other House Republicans who voted to remove him, but his endorsement of Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) opponent in last week’s primary for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District failed to move the needle.
Current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) did not make an endorsement in Good’s primary despite endorsing incumbents who have faced challenges throughout the country. Johnson had pleaded with his conference not to endorse against incumbents, something Good ignored by endorsing against Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX).
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Greene, a fierce ally of McCarthy and Trump, endorsed against Good in January. She cited Good’s disloyalty to Trump, calling him a “MAGA traitor.” Good also leads the House Freedom Caucus, which Greene was booted from last year, although Greene’s ouster from the caucus came prior to Good taking over as head.
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When campaigning alongside McGuire, Greene has mainly taken aim at Good’s late endorsement of Trump in the GOP presidential primary and claims about his integrity.
“This is important to me because I’ve served with Bob Good for several years now, and I have found him to be untrustworthy, and I have found him to be a liar,” Greene told WSET while campaigning for McGuire.
