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. 

“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. 

“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.

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.

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.