Close Race Between Trump-Ohio Rep John McGuire In Virginia Primary To Replace Bob Good
McGuire Leads VA Primary
State Senator John McGuire, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, leads in the GOP primary contest in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District against incumbent Representative Bob Good. It is an intense race, and the ultimate result is yet to be determined.
Background: The newly created seat has attracted significant support for John McGuire, a Navy SEAL veteran who started a small business when he returned to Virginia. Notable figures have supported him, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. McGuire’s campaign has centered on hardline conservative values, positioning himself closely to Trump’s “America First” approach.
Recent internal polling from McGuire’s campaign has him ahead of Good around the above margin. However, a poll released earlier this week from Battleground Connect by shows the support for McGuire is stronger at 45%, compared to 31% for Good, with 24% still up in the air. It represents a big turnaround in the race, with McGuire gaining a net 36 points in support since December when he was down by 4 points to Adams.
After spending weeks dancing around each other, mayoral contenders Raymond McGuire and Kathryn Garcia have launched dueling ads that offer a view into their strategies as the campaign adopts a more aggressive tone ahead of the June 22nd vote. He also backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary but supported Trump after DeSantis dropped out. McGuire has hammered Good for being inconsistent and insufficiently behind Trump’s policies, calling him a “Never Trumper since Day 1.”
In part, because Trump has taken a rear-facing interest in the contest, it has become one of the most heavily watched in the country. Though Trump has not officially backed McGuire, he has been in a few key photo ops with McGuire, a sign of his implicit support for the candidate. McGuire has exploited this association to the hilt, touting his shared approach and policies with Trump.
Community and Expert Opinions: The first race has been subject to a mixed reaction from the community and political analysts. McGuire supporters love his military background and business acumen and see him as a breath of fresh air who can breathe life into Congress. Meanwhile, Good’s backers highlight his experience and Trump’s 2022 endorsement of him, saying he’s got the track record to keep giving the district what they believe it wants.
While Virginia has a sterling primary track record, the landscape has changed, and the major contest to watch is John McGuire vs. Bob Good. The result will determine not only the GOP nominee in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District but also offer a test of the larger reach of Trump’s imprimatur in Republican primaries. The race has too many undecided voters for anyone to call it right now – only a nail-biting finale.
Keep watching this space as the returns from today’s primary elections roll in.
