Congressional candidate John McGuire of Virginia received Donald Trump’s endorsement Monday in a closely-watched Republican primary campaign against incumbent Rep. Bob Good, chairman of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus.
The June 18 primary in Virginia’s conservative 5th Congressional District is tantamount to winning the general election, and the campaign between McGuire and Good has been mostly about which candidate has the greater fealty to Trump.
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But two of McGuire’s social media posts after the Jan. 6 insurrection — discovered by Raw Story — raise questions about whether he adheres to Trump’s hard line on election denial and pardons for Jan. 6 convicts.
While Trump has vowed to pardon Jan. 6 insurrectionists — he called them “hostages” — as one of his first acts in office, McGuire mourned the death of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. The officer died of two strokes a day after fighting to protect the Capitol from rioters. The medical examiner said Sicknick died of natural causes but “all that transpired played a role in his condition.”
In 2023, a federal judge sentenced Capitol attacker Julian Khater to 80 months in prison for assaulting three officers, including Sicknick, with bear spray.
A week after the insurrection, McGuire said of Sicknick, “His death was tragic, unnecessary, & I agree those responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” McGuire wrote. “Thank you for your service. RIP.”
Another post by McGuire in January 2021 appears to conflict with election denial by Trump and his followers — and laud one half of the Biden-Harris 2020 presidential ticket.
McGuire wrote that “I’m not at all happy with the 2020 election results,” but he praised Kamala Harris for becoming the first female vice president.
“Isn’t it great that we live in the greatest country in history where a man or a woman can work hard and achieve just about anything. We must never stop fighting to keep it that way!”
McGuire did not immediately respond to Raw Story’s request for comment about his past social media posts and whether he stands by them.
Flap over Ron DeSantis
During the 2024 Republican presidential primary, Good endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president over Trump — before switching to Trump when DeSantis bowed out.
This infuriated Trump. It wasn’t enough for Trump that Good attended the former president’s criminal trial in Manhattan earlier this month where Trump faces 34 felony charges.
Trump recently said on social media that Good’s gesture was “too late” and “the damage had been done!” Trump further accused Good of having “turned his back on our incredible movement.”
Trump said McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, “will always put America first” and “He is strong on crime, will protect our great Military/Vets, and will always defend our under siege Second Amendment.”
McGuire has said he attended Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally, which led to the insurrection. But he said he did not enter the Capitol.
McGuire has not debated Good.
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On Tuesday, McGuire’s campaign celebrated the Trump endorsement, with the candidate saying in a statement, “I’ve been with Trump since he came down the escalator and when I’m in Congress, I’ll back his agenda and put America First!”
McGuire also welcomed Trump’s endorsement on X, writing: “Thank you President Trump for endorsing my campaign for Congress! Together we will fight for We the People and Save America. We can do better than Good.”