Former President Donald Trump endorsed the main challenger running against House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., saying the congressman “turned his back on our incredible movement.”
Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday morning that he is supporting state Sen. John McGuire, who is challenging Good in the June 18 primary. Trump made a veiled reference to Good as one of the few members of Congress who supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the presidential primaries, writing that Good “constantly attacked and fought me until recently.”
Good backed Trump in January, but the former president wrote that it was “too late.”
“The damage was already done!” Trump added. “I want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person who can best help me do that is Navy Seal and highly respected state legislator, John McGuire, a true American hero.”
Good’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But his campaign website currently suggests Trump is actually endorsing him, including Trump in a section titled “Who Supports Bob” — but lists Trump’s endorsement as of 2022.
McGuire welcomed Trump’s endorsement and thanked the former president a message on X and write, “We can do better than good.”
Both McGuire and Good appeared to be courting Trump’s support in recent days, with both men traveling to New York City earlier this month to support Trump amid his ongoing trial in a hush money case.
Trump’s support is coveted in the Republican Party’s primaries, with the Republican base fiercely loyal to the former president. But some lawmakers have overcome Trump challengers in the past, including Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington state, who again faces a Trump-backed challenger, and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who has Trump’s support this year. Good himself ousted former Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman in 2020, even though Riggleman had Trump’s support in the race.
Riggleman went on to work as an adviser to the House of Representatives committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and Trump’s role in it.
The primary in Virginia’s 5th District, a deep red seat that includes Charlottesville and extends to the state’s southern border, has attracted heavy out-of-state spending. According to the ad tracking company AdImpact, Republican groups spent nearly $10.7 million on ads during the race. Good has also drawn the ire of fellow Republicans after voting last year to impeach former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
