Donald Trump Suffers Blow From Radical Republicans

Bob Good has been elected as the next chair of the House Freedom Caucus, in a move that may prove testing for Donald Trump.

The Virginia Representative ran unopposed to lead the conservative group of House Republicans on Monday according to multiple reports, meaning he will replace outgoing chair Scott Perry.

As a Ron DeSantis ally, Good's leadership of the influential group may come as a challenge to the former president, who is the frontrunner in the upcoming GOP primaries with 60 percent of the vote, according to polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight. DeSantis is his closes rival with 12.7 percent, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley closely follows with 11.4 percent of the vote share.

Despite Trump enjoying the endorsement of at least 83 House Republicans, Good was one of the first Republicans to opt for DeSantis instead and in May said the Florida Republican set an example of "courageous conservative leadership."

"Governor Ron DeSantis has shown through action as Florida's chief executive that confronting hard challengers delivers effective results for every man, woman and child," he said. "That strength in the face of adversity is needed more today than ever before, and it is why I am unequivocally endorsing and encouraging Governor DeSantis to run for president…If Governor DeSantis runs for president, he will win."

Good was also a "special guest" at a meet-and-greet with the GOP candidate in April when he said people were "excited" by DeSantis' politics.

"I think that's a template for the country. And people are excited to hear what he's got to share," he said upon leaving the event.

Good was also recently recorded criticizing Trump. In footage published by The Tennessee Star last week, said to have been recorded clandestinely in October, he said DeSantis was "more of a true conservative," and said Trump carried "baggage" with his criminal indictments.

"He [Trump] might be the only person that can lose to Joe Biden if he's the nominee, and I don't criticize him," he said.

However he has maintained publicly he doesn't oppose Trump.

"I challenge you or anyone else to find my criticism of Donald Trump," he told Politico.

Newsweek has contacted Good and representatives of Trump by email for comment.

Thomas Gift, the founding director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek Good's election may not harm Trump.

"Bob Good's selection reflects a continued independent streak with the Freedom Caucus," Gift said. "Although the group as a whole is still mightily pro-Trump, its members don't kowtow to his every move—and some have even radicalized beyond the former president."

"That said, if Trump does return to the White House, Bob Good and the rest of the Freedom Caucus will fall in line soon enough (that is, if Good even survives a likely primary challenger). For now, Trump still has a death grip over the GOP, and there's nothing anyone in Congress can do to change that."

In response to Good's election, Republican Ohio Representative Warren Davidson said in a letter he would not seek re-election to the caucus' leadership team.

"I ask that we consider how to best increase our influence while preserving our power to move policy in the right direction. I strongly feel that Bob Good as Chairman will impair that objective," he wrote in a letter reported by Axios.

Aside from his stance on the GOP primaries, Good was one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy in October, criticizing him for relying on Democratic support to keep the federal government funded and open, because of the Republicans' limited majority.