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House Freedom Caucus chair Bob Good loses recount in Virginia primary to Trump-backed rival

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House Freedom Caucus chair Bob Good loses recount in Virginia primary to Trump-backed rival


Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) officially lost his congressional primary race Thursday after a recount effort determined Republican state Sen. John McGuire narrowly defeated the House Freedom Caucus chairman. 

The Virginia State Board of Elections called the 5th District race in McGuire’s favor last month, finding that the state lawmaker, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, beat Good by 374 votes out of more than 62,000 cast – a margin of 0.6% — in the June contest.

A recount, paid for by the 58-year-old incumbent, was completed Thursday night and slightly narrowed McGuire’s margin of victory to 370 votes. 

Rep. Bob Good was entitled to call for a recount by law since he came within 1 percentage point of McGuire. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

“Mr. McGuire received more votes than Mr. Good and is the winner of this election,” Chief Judge Claude Worrell II ruled, cementing Good’s loss. 

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“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but we won on June 18,” McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, told reporters ahead of the judge’s call, according to the Associated Press. 

Good acknowledged defeat in a Facebook post after the recount was finished, according to the outlet.  

“While I am disappointed in the ultimate outcome, it has been my distinct honor to serve as the congressional representative for Virginia’s 5th District over the past 3.5 years,” he wrote.

Virginia state Sen. John McGuire defeated Good by 370 votes. AP
Trump endorsed McGuire in the 5th District race over the incumbent Republican. MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Good took the reins as chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus earlier this year and had rankled some prominent members of his own party during his time in the lower chamber.

The Virginia Republican was one of just eight in the caucus who banded together with 208 House Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last year.

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He also drew the ire of Trump, 78, when he endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the GOP presidential nomination last May.

McCarthy, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Good’s fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) were among other GOP notables backing McGuire’s effort to primary the incumbent congressman.

McGuire will face Democratic businesswoman Gloria Witt in the November general election, a race the Republican is favored to win. 



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Man wanted in North Carolina murder investigation arrested in Grayson County, Virginia

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Man wanted in North Carolina murder investigation arrested in Grayson County, Virginia


A man wanted in a North Carolina murder investigation was arrested in Grayson County, Virginia, on Friday, authorities said.

53-year-old Matthew Jared Vukmer was taken into custody without incident around 5:30 p.m. in the Little River section of the county, according to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say that on Friday, around 2:30 p.m., a call came in from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina about a suspect wanted for first-degree murder who was possibly in the Little River area of Grayson County.

SEE ALSO: 2 arrested in separate DUI incidents during Henry County traffic stop, sheriff says

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Investigators say they immediately began preparing search warrants, and the sheriff’s office, along with the Virginia State Police, launched drones to survey and monitor the suspect’s activity.

Authorities said that after they determined the wanted individual, Vukmer, was at a location on Windwood Lane, deputies were sent to the address. Lt. Jody Poole and Deputy Adam Bolling then took Vukmer into custody without incident.

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Vukmer was charged with being a fugitive from justice and is being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail pending extradition to North Carolina to face murder charges, according to authorities.

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Flags at half-staff in Virginia to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson

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Flags at half-staff in Virginia to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson


Flags are flying at half-staff in Virginia on Saturday in honor of the life of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

Governor Abigail Spanberger ordered that the flags be flown at half-staff on all state and local buildings and grounds in the Commonwealth in honor of Jackson. The civil rights leader died on Tuesday. He was 84.

READ MORE | Descano says victims wouldn’t aid Abdul Jalloh prosecution; here’s what we found

“We honor his decades of service as a minister, community leader, and international civil rights leader,” Spanberger wrote in the order.

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The flags will remain at half-staff until sunset.

Jackson’s family confirmed he died at home, surrounded by family. He was battling the neurodegenerative disorder Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).

He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and their five children: Santita Jackson, former Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), Jonathan Luther Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson, Esq., and Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson, Jr.

ALSO SEE | Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon and longtime King protege, has died at 84

Jackson was known as a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and helped lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

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Jackson was with King during his assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 1968.



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Northern Virginia security company helps evacuate nearly 4,000 amid Iran war

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Northern Virginia security company helps evacuate nearly 4,000 amid Iran war


As the war in Iran stretches toward a week, evacuations out of the region continue, including efforts coordinated by a Northern Virginia-based security company that has helped move nearly 4,000 people out of the Middle East.

Global Guardian has assisted people in evacuating at least 15 countries through a combination of charter and commercial flights, according to Colin O’Brien, the company’s deputy vice president of operations. Most of them are Americans, he said.

ALSO SEE | Middle East expert says uncertain future in Iran could be just as dangerous

“The primary objective is to get them out of the Middle East, to move them to places where they have freedom of movement, where there are pre-existing commercial airline options — so places like Western Europe, Turkey, Cairo, where I have major functioning international airports that have yet to be affected by this crisis,” O’Brien explained. “And then from there, we can take our time. We can get the right plane ticket, and we can send them home.”

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Meanwhile, airports, including Dulles, are experiencing some flight cancellations and delays from the Middle East.

7News was at baggage claim as people returned to America, greeting loved ones with hugs.

One man who wished to remain anonymous spoke with 7News while waiting for his daughter and grandchildren to return from the Middle East, where his son-in-law is stationed in the military.

READ ALSO | Capitol Hill grapples with Iran strategy, war powers

He said he is grateful to have them home, but it’s bittersweet because his son-in-law is still over there amid the conflict.

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A woman who arrived Thursday afternoon told 7News she’s grateful to be away from potential danger but feels sorry for those who can’t leave.



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