The Good Fight: A Republican Rebel’s Sudden Shift on Mike Johnson

The House Freedom Caucus chairman, one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust former Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, is looking for help from the current House speaker to avoid losing his own seat.

Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) is facing a spirited primary challenge and is hoping to get every endorsement he can, even from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). The hope for help from Johnson comes even as the House Freedom Caucus has been a thorn in the GOP leader’s side over several matters, such as Ukraine funding.

“I would think that he would endorse all the incumbents — I want everybody to endorse me, including the speaker,” Good told Politico when asked if he has asked Johnson about an endorsement.

Good is facing a challenge from Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, who has received the backing from several House Republicans including Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Austin Scott (R-GA), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

Johnson has asked members of his conference not to go after incumbent Republicans, seeking to unify his slim majority in the House and help it grow in November. He has also backed several Republican incumbents who are facing GOP primary challengers.

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Good has ignored Johnson’s pleas and has endorsed some primary challengers to GOP incumbents in the House of Representatives. Earlier this week, Good endorsed Brandon Herrera, a gun rights activist, over Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) in a primary runoff election.

The primary election in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District is scheduled for June 18. The district is rated as “solid Republican” by the Cook Political Report, with a partisan voting index of Republican plus-7.