WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump In what could be a defining moment in the Republican primary elections scheduled for June 18, he has endorsed a Republican opponent of a Virginia congressman who heads the far-right House Freedom Caucus.
The endorsement from state Sen. John McGuire could give a boost to the challenger and prevent incumbent Rep. Bob Good from serving a second term in the primary, one of the most closely watched in the country with millions of dollars flowing into it. Various Republican groups.
Trump said he has his “full support! MAGA2024” for Maguire, 55. He, however, said Goode is evil for Virginia and the United States. In a statement of support posted on Truth Social, Trump said Goode had been constantly attacking and fighting him until he recently expressed his “warm and ‘loving’ support.” But in reality, it was too late. The damage had already been done.
While both candidates have sought to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump in their overwhelmingly Republican districts, Good, 58, first endorsed Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary before backing Trump. The former president hasn’t forgotten, and three weeks before the primary he got his revenge, saying of Good, “He turned his back on our great movement.”
A person close to Trump, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions, said Trump was willing to support Maguire but had not yet made up his mind when he and Goode accompanied him to the New York courthouse on May 16.
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Trump made his decision after considering both Goode’s crimes and Maguire’s efforts to work hard for Trump and prove himself a viable challenger.
The most serious of Goode’s transgressions was his public endorsement of DeSantis, which appeared especially damning to Trump and his supporters because it came just days after Trump was indicted in the Manhattan hush-payment case — a move that the poor timing made for an especially public display of disloyalty, the people said.
The hush money lawsuit was the first of four criminal charges filed against Trump last year.
Throughout the campaign, Maguire has stressed his loyalty to Trump and sought to highlight the contrast between the two candidates, who take similar positions on many policy issues.
“I want to thank President Donald J. Trump for supporting my campaign for Congress,” Maguire said in a statement. “I’ve been with Trump since he came down the escalator, and if I were to serve in Congress, I would support his policies and put America First!”
Good is A procession of Republican lawmakers and their allies Goode traveled to Trump’s trial in New York as a show of support. He and Maguire accompanied Trump to the trial that day. “We’re here to support him,” Goode said of the trip.
But Maguire said Trump was right about the good.
“Mr. Trump has recognized that I am 100 percent the MAGA candidate in this race, and I’m grateful for that,” Maguire said.
Goode said in a statement that he remains confident of victory and has a strong local operation with more than 300 dedicated volunteers. He cited a number of lawmakers and Republican groups that have endorsed his campaign.
“They all know I am a true conservative in this race, committed to reversing Biden’s policies and making America great again like it was in President Trump’s first term,” Good said.
Good’s campaign website, even after Trump announced his endorsement of Maguire, posted a large photo of Trump and Good on Tuesday afternoon under the headline “Who’s Endorsing Bob?”
The website featured Trump’s praise for the lawmaker and noted that the comments were about the 2022 election.
“While President Trump has not endorsed him in this election, Congressman Good is proud to have endorsed him for re-election in 2024,” the website states.
Trump has long been frustrated by people who give him the illusion of support when they have not yet given him the support he craves.
Goode, a fiscal conservative who advocated deep spending cuts, was one of eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with the impact of that vote being evident in congressional elections, where groups sympathetic to the former speaker have poured billions of dollars into defeating Goode while others are defending him.
According to media tracking firm AdImpact, about $7.5 million had been spent on campaign ads in Virginia as of Tuesday, with more than $2 million in ad time reserved through June 18. That’s a lot of money considering the House races aren’t seen as an opportunity for Democrats to garner support.
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Price reported from New York. Associated Press writer Chad Day contributed to this report.
