Rep. Bob Good, Virginia Republican, brushed off reporters’ questions about threats from Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, who said recently that the conservative firebrand would be unelectable in this year’s GOP primary after Trump world puts him through the wringer.
“I don’t think about it,” he said, in response to Mr. LaCivita, who recently told Cardinal News, a Southwest Virginia outlet, that Mr. Good “won’t be electable when we get done with him.”
Mr. Good, the newly elected House Freedom Caucus chairman, is one of just a handful of members of the conservative group who is supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, a fact that is not sitting well with the Trump campaign.
Enter state Sen. John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL who had endorsed Mr. Trump after winning election to the Commonwealth’s upper chamber back in November.
“Folks from all over the country flew into Iowa this weekend, including myself, to help Trump win so we can Save America!” Mr. McGuire said in his email newsletter. “I am proud to be the first elected official in Virginia to endorse Trump 2024!”
Mr. Trump won Virginia’s 5th Congressional District with 53% of the vote in both 2016 and 2020.
Mr. McGuire’s endorsement of the former president is one of the biggest differences between him and Mr. Good, whose endorsement of Mr. DeSantis has sparked accusations from McGuire that Mr. Good is “hating Trump,” or is a “Never-Trumper” and a “RINO,” an insult meaning “Republican In Name Only.”
However, Mr. Good told the Cardinal News that he previously supported Mr. Trump in 2016 and 2020 and would support him again if he is the eventual nominee.
“But I endorsed Gov. DeSantis back in May because I believed, as I do now, that we need eight years of conservative leadership, and I believe that Gov. DeSantis gives us the best chance to win a general election,” he said. “I believe that the job that he did in Florida is the model for the country.”
Mr. Good and Mr. McGuire are expected to face off on June 8 during Virginia’s GOP primary.
— Alex Miller contributed to this report.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.