Donald Trump has lashed out at Virginia GOP congressman Bob Good for being “too late” with his endorsement of the former president.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, the former president said Good, the leader of the House Freedom Caucus, was “BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA” while reaffirming his endorsement of his Republican primary challenger, state Sen. John McGuire.
Good had previously endorsed Trump’s primary rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. After the latter dropped out of the Republican presidential primary in January, Good immediately switched alliances to endorse Trump while calling him the “greatest President of my lifetime” who will “reinstate the policies that were working so well for America.”
Good’s battle to retain his candidacy in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District has not only split the GOP but also the Make America Great Again within the party. A political action committee to help Republicans get elected has spent more than $450,000 to unseat Good, who was one of eight GOP lawmakers who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as House speaker in October 2023.
Good does have the support of MAGA figure, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, while fellow Trump loyalist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is backing McGuire.
In a post confirming his support of McGuire in the congressional primary, Trump wrote: “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!
“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.”
Trump added he will be doing a “TeleRally” to show his support for McGuire on June 17 on the eve of the Virginia GOP primary for the 5th district.
Good’s office has been contacted for comment via email.
Trump has often cited his record of endorsing candidates who go on to win their respective races as a sign of his influence and power over the GOP.
A large majority of these endorsements have been for incumbents already in office, who had already been heavily favored to win their elections, especially primaries.
Two Trump-backed candidates have recently lost their races. On May 28, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan narrowly defeated the Trump-endorsed challenger David Covey in the primary runoff for the state’s District 21 seat.
On June 4, New Jersey Senate hopeful, Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, who had the backing of the former president, was defeated by real estate developer Curtis Bashaw by a large margin.
A poll of 300 likely voters, commissioned by the Virginia Faith and Freedom Coalition, showed that McGuire had a 10-point lead over Good in the GOP primary in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District (41 percent to 31). The poll was conducted between June 2 and 4.
Another survey of 301 likely voters, conducted around the same time by the Neighborhood Research and Media, showed Good with a nine-point lead over McGuire (39 percent to 30).
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