GOOCHLAND, Va. (AP) — Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, on Thursday defeated conservative U.S. Rep. Bob Good in a recount of the Republican primary results in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.
McGuire narrowly defeated Good, one of the most conservative members of Congress and chair of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus.
Election officials previously certified a narrow McGuire win in the June 18 primary, by 374 votes out of nearly 63,000 cast. But with the margin of victory at just six-tenths of a percentage point, Good was entitled to a recount.
McGuire’s margin of victory narrowed by four votes to 370 following Thursday’s recount.
“Mr. McGuire received more votes than Mr. Good and is the winner of this election,” Chief Judge Claude Worrell II said from the bench, concluding the recount.
The last votes arrived at the courthouse at about 9 p.m. Thursday — nearly 14 hours after officials began the recount process.
Around the same time, McGuire arrived at the courthouse.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but we won on June 18,” he told reporters before the recount result was announced.
In a statement on Facebook, Good thanked those who voted for him and supported his reelection campaign.
“While I am disappointed in the ultimate outcome, it has been my distinct honor to serve as the congressional representative for Virginia’s 5th District over the past 3.5 years,” he wrote.
Good, who has served in Congress since 2021, was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust fellow GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker in October.
After Good endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the GOP presidential contest, former President Trump called him a backstabber and threw his support to McGuire, a former Navy SEAL.
A three-judge panel oversaw the recount. Judge Worrell estimated last month that it would cost $96,500, though he said that amount could change.
Good was able to seek a recount because McGuire’s victory margin was less than 1 percent. But his campaign must pay for it since the margin is greater than half a percentage point.
McGuire will face Democrat Gloria Witt in the November general election. The 5th District tilts conservative.
Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
FILE - Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., speaks at a news conference held by members of the House Freedom Caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
FILE - Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, a candidate in the Republican primary in the state's 5th Congressional District, joins supporters June 18, 2024, in Lynchburg, Va. (AP Photo/Skip Rowland, File)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in what would be their second White House sit-down since Trump's return to office.
The visit, confirmed by a White House official Saturday, comes as Israel is setting up a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas and Netanyahu's defense minister has said Israel would seize large areas of the territory and add them to its so-called security zones. Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in Gaza on Friday, a day after attacks killed at least 100 Palestinians.
Hundreds more have died in the past two weeks as Israel has stepped up operations intended to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages it took during its attack on Israel in October 2023.
Israel has pledged to escalate the war with Hamas until the militant group returns the hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel ended a ceasefire in March and has imposed a halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid.
The leaders are expected to focus on the latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza and new U.S. tariffs announced by Trump against Israel and other countries.
Trump's first invitation of his second term to a foreign leader went to Netanyahu, and their Feb. 4 meeting was meant to focus on Israel’s war with Hamas and the next steps as a ceasefire deal took hold.
At a joint news conference, Trump made the surprise proposal that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the territory and he suggested that the United States take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Palestinians objected to leaving their homeland, and Arab nations and rights groups sharply criticized the idea.
Last month, Israel shattered the ceasefire with a surprise bombardment in Gaza after trying to pressure Hamas to accept proposed new terms for the ceasefire. The White House supported the move. Israel also again cut off all supplies to the territory.
That February meeting gave Netanyahu a chance to remind the world of the Trump administration’s support for Israel, defend the conduct of the war and distract from political pressures back home.
Those pressures have only grown as Israelis protest both the lack of a deal to bring remaining hostages home from Gaza and Netanyahu’s moves to fire the head of the country’s domestic security agency and its attorney general. He also faces calls to accept responsibility for his role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war.
In a statement, relatives of hostages held in Gaza pleaded with Trump to “please use all your power to pressure Netanyahu to end this war and bring our hostages back now.”
Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. The U.S. is not a member of the court.
Trump, meanwhile, says the first foreign trip of his second administration will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and possibly the United Arab Emirates and “other places.” The trip could come as soon as May. Trump has said he wants to reward Saudi Arabia for its investment in the U.S. and that all three Gulf countries would be making commitments to creating jobs in the U.S. during his trip.
Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Jerusalem and Cara Anna contributed to this report.
FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
FILE - President Donald Trump meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
