Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) stated on Saturday that voters in his congressional district “could care less” about a recent endorsement received by his primary challenger, State Senator John McGuire (R-Goochland), framing his opponent’s supporters as “establishment moderates.”
Good told cable news outlet CNN he was unfazed by the recent endorsement of McGuire by Representative Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), who recently endorsed the Republican’s primary challenger.
“They’ve never heard of Derrick Van Orden. They could care less what Derrick Van Orden thinks,” Good reportedly told CNN. He later told the outlet it was asking “questions that nobody here cares about.”
Good continued, “You bring up Derrick Van Orden, which is a joke.”
McGuire, in addition to Van Orden, recently held a fundraiser German-owned Politico reported was headlined or attended by Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), Austin Scott (R-GA-08) and Mike Rogers (R-AL-03).
Good held his own event with Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01) and Chip Roy (R-TX-21). Gaetz led the push to vacate former Representative Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, and Good was an early backer of the effort.
Speaking to CNN, the congressman characterized the efforts of his Republican opponents as “stupid,” and declared, “RINOs, establishment moderates do nothing to influence Republican primary elections.”
By contrast, Good reportedly told the outlet, “Conservative, courageous warriors like those endorsing me” are those “who my constituents care about.”
In response, McGuire described Good as a “burn it all down, no solution kind of guy,” and said Republicans “need leaders that want to grow the party and unite the country.”
McGuire then pointed to Good’s decision to join Gaetz and the Republican-led effort to remove McCarthy from leadership.
“If you are helping the Democrat team take out the Republican team, who is the RINO?” He told the outlet, “I would have never in a million years, partnered with the other party to take out our leader.”
McGuire described McCarthy as the Republican Party’s “best leader who has the most leverage and the most institutional knowledge,” and suggested Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) celebrated the decision to oust him.
While Good ultimately endorsed former President Donald Trump’s 2024 bid for the White House, he originally backed Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL). Leaked comments made by Good eventually revealed the congressman was concerned about the legal cases against Trump and did not expect the former president to lead Republicans to victory.
The remarks led Trump’s campaign staff to declare Good politically dead, but those remarks were quickly followed by Good’s endorsement of the former president.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Rep. Bob Good” by Bob Good and “Rep Matt Gaetz Compaigns for Rep. Good” by Rep. Bob Good.
