The high-dollar, contentious Virginia primary between Republican Rep. Bob Good and state Sen. John McGuire is too close to call — and is likely heading to a recount.
Nearly a week after the primary, The Associated Press said Monday that McGuire led Good by 373 votes out of the more than 62,000 ballots counted, a margin of 0.6 percentage points.
Under state law, the second-place candidate can request a recount at their expense if the margin is less than 1 percentage point. Good has already indicated that he will seek one.
“We depleted resources trying to win this primary, we believe we did win the primary even though we were vastly outspent,” Good said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” before The AP announced its determination. “I need help funding the recount challenge.”
Good has already sowed doubt about the integrity of the election, drawing pushback from local officials.
It is rare, but not unprecedented, The AP said, for a race like this to shift by a few hundred votes in a recount.
Good has 10 days from when the state elections board certifies the result of the election, which is scheduled to take place early next month, to file a petition for a recount.
Millions of dollars poured into the effort to oust Good, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus who has managed to get on the bad side of prominent Republicans. That included former President Donald Trump, who endorsed McGuire after Good initially backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the presidency. He also was facing the wrath of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose political operation has mobilized against the eight Republicans — including Good — who voted to strip him of the gavel. And a number of his fellow colleagues in Congress actively campaigned against Good after he endorsed incumbents’ primary challengers throughout the cycle.
The race was tighter than many were expecting, especially considering the immense resources that flowed in to boost McGuire — demonstrating just how difficult it is to oust an incumbent. If McGuire’s lead holds, Good could be the first Republican kicked out of Congress by a non-incumbent challenger. (Alabama Republican Rep. Jerry Carl lost his primary in a rare member-on-member challenge due to redistricting earlier this year.)
McGuire called for Republicans to be “united” on Monday and discouraged a recount.
“While I understand the desire to continue the fight, the outcome of this election will not change,” he said in a statement. “The fight is over, and it’s time to move on and work together as a team.”
CORRECTION: A previous headline incorrectly described the next phase in the Good-McGuire race.
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