Rep. Bob Goode, R-Va., plans to proceed with a recount after Virginia’s board of elections approved preliminary results showing the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus narrowly trailing his Republican challenger.
Results last month’s GOP primary In Virginia’s 5th District, Shaw state Sen. John McGuire edged Goode by just 374 votes, or less than 1 percent, facing opposition from former President Donald Trump and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
This puts the race within a margin that allows a candidate to request a recount. But the margin is wide enough that Goode would have to pay for the recount himself, rather than the state.
“The people of our district are reaching out to our campaign demanding that we proceed with the recount. Our donors, volunteers and supporters are waiting for it,” Diana Shores, Good’s campaign manager and general counsel, told NBC News in a statement. “It’s not about Bob Goode. It’s about the people of the district.”
“Thousands of dollars in donations have already come in for our recount efforts,” Shores added. “We will proceed with a recount to resolve any questions about the fairness or transparency of the election process. This way, voters can move forward with confidence in the general election.”
Shores’ statement came before a meeting of the Virginia State Board of Elections Tuesday afternoon, during which the board approved preliminary results showing McGuire leading the GOP primary in the deeply Republican 5th District. Hood, chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, has 10 days to formally request a recount.
“I think we can say with confidence that we had a free and fair election,” board chairman John O’Bannon said, according to a live broadcast of the meeting.
McGuire received Trump’s endorsement in the race and received millions of dollars in support from outside groups, some of which were tied to McCarthy. Goode was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy late last year.
It was good expressed his concernswithout providing evidence, about the reliability of vote counting in certain areas of the district.
Well, he’s at risk of becoming the first GOP member of Congress to lose to a primary challenger this election cycle.
Will Courtney contributed.