The Republican primary race between Trump-backed candidate John McGuire and incumbent Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District was highly competitive on Tuesday night, with only a half-percentage point separating them.
State Senator John McGuire, endorsed by 45th President Donald Trump last month, held a narrow lead over Bob Good, the House Freedom Caucus chairman. As of nearly four hours after the polls closed, McGuire led with 50.23% of the votes compared to Good’s 49.77%. This slim margin would allow Good to request a state-funded recount.
At McGuire’s election night event, the atmosphere was tense as the race results fluctuated. McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, reassured his supporters with optimism: “There are still a few votes left to count, but it’s clear that all paths end with a victory. Folks in the 5th District can rest assured that should they elect me in November, they will have an effective fighter in Congress who will get the job done for them.”
Bob Good, seeking to avoid becoming the first incumbent to lose to an outside challenger this cycle, released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), noting, “The entire DC Swamp was aligned against us with over $10 million in attack ads, but with your help we were able to make this race too close to call.” He added, “No matter the outcome, you’ve shown the DC Swamp that you won’t back down from standing for what’s right.”
Trump had criticized Good for endorsing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over him, stating on Truth Social, “Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA!” Trump had previously warned Good to stop using his name in campaign materials.
Aside from Trump’s endorsement, McGuire also received support from the Republican Jewish Coalition, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Rep. Warren Davidson.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democratic businesswoman Gloria Witt in the general election in November, a race where the Republican candidate is favored to win.
In other Virginia races, retired Navy Capt. Hung Cao won the Senate GOP primary and will challenge Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in the general election. Additionally, in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District Democratic primary, Army veteran Eugene Vindman advanced and will compete against former Army Green Beret Derrick Anderson, the GOP primary winner, in November.