Trump burns Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good and endorses his challenger

Former President Donald Trump tore into Rep. Bob Good and endorsed his primary challenger on Tuesday morning, days after the Freedom Caucus leader went to New York to support him at trial. '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,' Trump wrote on Truth Social just before the closing arguments of his hush money trial began.

Good originally endorsed Ron DeSantis for president before endorsing Trump when the Florida governor dropped out of the running. But last week Trump endorsed another DeSantis supporter in Congress : Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick. Trump went on: '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.' Good will face off against McGuire in a June 18 primary.

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 to court Trump's support that same day. Good leads the roughly 50-member hard right Freedom Caucus, which is comprised of some of Speaker Mike Johnson's biggest Republican antagonists.

His race has divided the House GOP conference. Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, have come out in support of Good, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has supported his challenger. Rep. Derrick Van Orden traveled to the district to support McGuire - as did Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers.

Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows supports Good. 'Bob Good didn't come here to govern. He came here to be famous,' Van Orden, a Wisconsin Republican, told CNN. 'Bob Good's wearing our jersey, and he's not on the team.'

Good has local backing in the district's GOP committee. Rick Buchanan, the chairman of the district's GOP committee, told Cardinal News last month that a Trump endorsement 'wouldn't move the needle that much.'

'If you listen to McGuire's campaign, then yes, [Trump] is the issue, because McGuire has nothing else,' Buchanan said. 'I'm not seeing where he takes a stance on any real issue, except Bob Good's no good, and Bob Good is not a Trump supporter, which is a lie. That's why he's got the name McLiar.'

Buchanan said Good is trying to run to the right of Good, but 'there is no position to the right of Bob.' 'McGuire has no place to run, he has no issues that he can stand on that Bob hasn't already taken a stand on.'

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