Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Tuesday threw his support behind House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.), who faces a Trump-backed primary challenger in a closely watched contest this month.
“Vote for @RepBobGood,” Gaetz wrote on the social platform X late Tuesday night, reposting a separate statement from an X account that claimed to speak for all “MAGA” voters.
“I speak for all of MAGA when I say, we don’t want another McCarthy plant in Congress. We want Bob Good, one of the best legislators doing the people’s work in that disgusting swamp,” the statement, which Gaetz reposted, read.
In supporting Good, Gaetz breaks from former President Trump, who has railed against the conservative incumbent, accusing him of being disloyal.
Good initially endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) bid for president, becoming one of the rare GOP figures willing to back a candidate other than Trump in the race. Once DeSantis ended his campaign, Good immediately threw his support behind Trump and pledged to work to elect the former president for another term in the White House.
Trump — in endorsing Good’s challenger, Virginia state Sen. John McGuire (R) last week — said the incumbent’s support was “too late.”
“Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA,” Trump wrote last week on Truth Social. “He turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement. But really, it was too late. The damage had been done!”
“I just want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person that can most help me do that is Navy Seal and highly respected State Legislator, John McGuire, a true American Hero,” he added.
Good has been careful not to criticize the former president and even attended his New York trial with other close allies. But Trump has not welcomed Good back into the fold. Earlier this week, the Trump campaign sent Good a cease-and-desist letter telling the Virginia lawmaker to stop producing yard signs and other merchandise that suggest Trump has endorsed the incumbent in this cycle.
Gaetz has found himself allied with Good against the bulk of his party in the past. After Gaetz filed a motion to vacate against then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Good joined Gaetz, six other Republicans, and every House Democrat to vote to remove McCarthy from power.