Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden has publicly broken ties with Virginia Representative Bob Good, the leader of the House Freedom Caucus. Good, who was among the eight Republicans who voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, has been a key figure in the ongoing internal GOP conflicts that have left the party’s agenda in disarray and the conference embroiled in a bitter internal struggle.
Van Orden has now aligned himself with a group of House Republicans aiming to unseat Good in his June primary by supporting his primary opponent, John McGuire. This move, which involves supporting a colleague’s opponent, is generally seen as a significant breach of protocol. However, it highlights the deep-seated animosity within the House GOP.
“Bob Good didn’t come here to govern. He came here to be famous,” Van Orden told CNN. “Bob Good’s wearing our jersey, and he’s not on the team.”
Despite the opposition, Good remains unfazed. As he campaigned through his district last week with fellow House GOP hardliners, such as Representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, and Chip Roy of Texas, Good insisted that his constituents are not concerned with the opinions of his Wisconsin colleague. He also accused many of his Republican colleagues in Washington of casting votes that harm the country and undermine the conservative cause.
The ongoing internal conflict within the House GOP majority, which has now reached Good’s conservative district in rural Virginia, is part of a larger battle over the direction of the GOP. While many Republicans in Washington advocate for compromise and consensus with Democrats as the way to govern in a divided government, Good and his group of members vehemently oppose such deal-making, advocating instead for a no-compromise approach.
John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL and Good’s primary opponent, has criticized Good’s conduct as “embarrassing” and his “name-calling” of fellow Republicans as “childish.” McGuire believes that the party needs leaders who want to grow the party and unite the country.
Good, who won his first race in 2020 by defeating a moderate GOP incumbent, Denver Riggleman, is one of four Republicans being targeted by members from within their own conference. In other cases, it’s far-right Republicans maneuvering to take out colleagues they view as insufficiently conservative. Now, it’s the center-right striking back, including allies of McCarthy and a new GOP outside group beginning to attack Good as well.
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing Good is former President Donald Trump. During the GOP presidential primary, Good backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, explaining he preferred a candidate who could serve for eight years in office, rather than just four more years like Trump. Good’s support for DeSantis in the primary is now the subject of an attack ad by a new outside group, Virginians for Conservative Leadership PAC, which says: “Bob Good has no faith in Trump.”
Despite this, Good showed no daylight with Trump during his campaign last week, with signs that said: “Trump, Bob Good: Keeping America Great” — all as he stumped with Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who compared him to the former president.
Trump has yet to endorse anyone in the race, but one of his top advisers, Chris LaCivita, told a local Virginia news outlet in January: “Bob Good won’t be electable when we get done with him.”
Some Trump allies who back Good are trying to make sure the former president doesn’t undercut their colleague’s bid. “I’ve done all I can to explain to President Trump that his agenda will be executed to its best efficacy if we have Bob Good in Congress,” Gaetz said. “A fighting Republican Party will be there for President Trump. Bob Good leads the fighters.”
Contributor: Sheden Tesfaldet, CNN