House Republican Bob Good Officially Expelled from Congress After Extremely Accurate Recount by Trump-Backed John McGuire

Conservative hardliner and powerful Freedom Caucus chairman Bob Good shockingly lost his seat in Congress after a recount of his contested primary to Trump-backed John McGuire.

Virginia lawmakers’ tactic of burning down the House of Representatives has made enemies of colleagues including former President Donald Trump and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — whom he ousted last year.

The first race on June 18 was so close that it took weeks for the results to be announced. Good financed the recount himself.

But in the end, the difference of nearly 400 of the 62,000 votes cast was not made up and on Thursday evening the Associated Press news agency declared McGuire the winner.

With 99 percent of the vote, McGuire won by just 393 votes. The Freedom Caucus will now be forced to elect a new chair.

In a speech announcing his concessions, Good boasted that he had been “the strongest and most consistent voice in the House for protecting lives from contraception.”

The right-wing Freedom Caucus chairman lost the president’s support when he initially backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over him. He also alienated several House colleagues when he voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from the chairmanship.

He drew Trump’s ire after endorsing Ron DeSantis in the Republican Party’s contentious presidential primaries.

Trump never forgot that and actively worked to turn voters against Good, calling him “bad for Virginia and bad for the United States.”

“He turned his back on our incredible movement and continued to attack and oppose me until he recently gave me a warm and ‘loving’ endorsement. But it was really too late,” Trump wrote on Truth Social before Election Day.

Despite the former president’s heat, Good was one of a handful of right-wing lawmakers who traveled to Manhattan on May 16 to support Trump in his criminal trial. McGuire went to New York that same day to win Trump’s support.

Trump held a conference call for McGuire on the eve of the primary to put further pressure on Good.

In June, fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, even endorsed Good’s opponent. The caucus typically likes to present a united front.

Davidson was later removed from the primary after interfering in the race.

Trump railed against Rep. Bob Good and endorsed his primary challenger John McGuire on Tuesday morning, days after the Freedom Caucus leader traveled to New York to support him during the trial.

Incumbents who supported Good, such as Rep. William Timmons, R-S.C., came out in the days before the primary to support McGuire.

“Bob Good has done more to undermine and divide Republicans than any other Democrat. Congratulations to John McGuire on a huge win for the GOP. Goodbye Bob Good,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., posted on X after the first primary.

The race attracted more spending by outgroups – $10.7 million — more than any other race in Virginia. By comparison, the candidates themselves spent just $1.7 million.

Such groups spent about $5.9 million opposing Good or supporting McGuire.

McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, senator and election denier who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally, had the support of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who traveled to his district to tell voters that Good is a “traitor” to Trump.

On the other hand, Steve Bannon endorsed Good, telling voters in his district that “this wasn’t about Trump.” The primary challenge was fueled by Good’s opponents of McCarthy.

Good leads the Freedom Caucus, a far-right group of about 50 members that includes some of the most vocal Republican opponents of Speaker Mike Johnson.

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) had endorsed Good, while Greene backed his challenger.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden traveled to the district to endorse McGuire — as did Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers. Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows is backing Good.

“Bob Good didn’t come here to govern. He came here to be famous,” Van Orden, a Republican from Wisconsin, told CNN. “Bob Good is wearing our jersey, and he’s not on the team.”

Good was one of a handful of right-wing lawmakers who traveled to Manhattan on May 16 to support Trump in his criminal case. McGuire went to New York that same day to advocate for Trump’s support

Good, meanwhile, has received support from the district’s local GOP committee.

Rick Buchanan, chairman of the county GOP committee, told Cardinal News in May that an endorsement of Trump “wouldn’t change that much.”

“If you listen to McGuire’s campaign, yes, (Trump) is the problem, because McGuire has nothing else,” Buchanan said. “I don’t see him taking a stand on any real issue, other than Bob Good is not good, and Bob Good is not a Trump supporter, which is a lie. That’s why he has the name McLiar.”

Buchanan said Good is trying to run to the right of Good, but “there’s no position to the right of Bob.”

“McGuire has nowhere to go, he has no issues to lean on that Bob hasn’t already taken a position on.”