Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Tuesday endorsed House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-Va.), who is facing a Trump-backed primary challenger in a closely watched contest this month.
“Vote for @RepBobGood,” Gaetz wrote on the social platform
“I speak for all of MAGA when I say we don’t want another McCarthy plant coming to Congress. We want Bob Good, one of the best congressmen in that disgusting swamp doing the people’s business,” read the statement Gaetz reposted.
In endorsing Good, Gaetz breaks with former President Trump, who criticized the conservative incumbent by accusing him of disloyalty.
Good initially supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid, making him one of the rare Republicans willing to support a candidate other than Trump in the primary. When DeSantis concluded his campaign, Good immediately endorsed Trump and pledged to work to elect the former president for another term in the White House.
Trump last week endorsed Good’s challenger, Sen. John McGuire (R-Virginia), saying the incumbent’s endorsement was “too late.”
“Bob Good is bad for Virginia and bad for America,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “He turned his back on our amazing movement and continued to attack and fight with me until recently, when he gave me warm, ‘loving’ support. But actually it was too late. The damage has been done!”
He added, “I just want to make America great again, and the person who can best help me do that is John McGuire, Navy SEAL, respected state legislator, and true American hero.”
Good was careful not to criticize the former president and even attended the New York trial with other aides. But Trump didn’t take Good back. Earlier this week, the Trump campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to Good telling the Virginia lawmaker to stop producing yard signs and other merchandise that suggests Trump supported the incumbent this cycle.
Gaetz has allied himself with Good against most of his party in the past. After Gaetz filed a motion to leave office against then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Good joined Gaetz, six other Republicans, and all House Democrats in voting to remove McCarthy from power.
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