House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., suffered a loss in his primary recount against GOP state Sen. John McGuire in Virginia’s 5th District. The recount results confirmed McGuire’s victory by a narrow margin, making Good the first sitting House Republican to lose to a primary challenger this year. Good had previously announced he would step down as the Freedom Caucus chairman if he did not prevail.
The race saw a significant amount of opposition for Good, including from former President Donald Trump and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Trump endorsed McGuire before the primary, calling Good “very bad for Virginia.” McGuire’s campaign slogan, “We can do better than Good,” along with Trump’s endorsement, helped propel him to victory.
Outside groups tied to McCarthy allies and GOP establishment donors also heavily supported McGuire, outspending Good on ads. McGuire is now expected to win in November, given the district’s Republican lean as Trump carried it by 8 percentage points in 2020.
Good’s loss adds to the list of members of Congress who have failed to advance out of their primaries this year, including Rep. Jerry Carl in Alabama and Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York. McGuire’s victory marks a significant shift in the Republican Party dynamics and sets the stage for a heated general election in Virginia’s 5th District.
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