One of the eight Republicans who voted to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the role has now taken the reins of the GOP Freedom Caucus.
Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., was elected by the conservative group of lawmakers following reported disagreements among members. Good, who is taking over for outgoing Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., has openly endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis for the 2024 presidential race, setting up some likely tensions with the frontrunner, former President Donald Trump.
Just in: Bob Good Virginia Republican Representative will become the next House Freedom Caucus chairman. pic.twitter.com/xLO2lPSB0G
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) December 12, 2023
The closed-door vote on Monday confirmed Good in the one-year role even as Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, recommended otherwise.
“I am concerned that our group often relies too much on power (available primarily due to the narrow majority) and too little on influence with and among our colleagues,” Davidson told his colleagues Sunday ahead of voting, according to Axios.
“I ask that we consider how to best increase our influence while preserving our power to move policy in the right direction. I strongly feel that Bob Good as Chairman will impair that objective,” he added as he announced he would be stepping down from the board. “I do not have an alternative nomination, but as my final fiduciary duty as a board member, I ask that you prayerfully consider electing someone else as Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.”
Others did not share Davidson’s assessment of Good.
“I think it’s easy to find oneself in a contradiction, a self-contradiction,” said Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C. “Those categorical assertions sometimes don’t hold up. I don’t want to get into a detailed debate with my good, very good friend Warren Davidson on that point, but obviously, there have been disagreements.”
One loud disagreement before he was even voted in came from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who called out Good for his endorsement of DeSantis, who was one of the founding members of the House Freedom Caucus.
Bob Good caught trashing Pres Trump.
Bob Good was endorsed by Pres Trump, which is the only reason he won in 2020.
Bob Good is another disloyal fake MAGA Trump traitor.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/7LMxEJoqce
— Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) December 8, 2023
“Good, who ran unopposed and was recommended by the Freedom Caucus’ board, replaces current Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa. Others who have served in the top job for the group include the founding chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and former Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who went on to become Trump’s White House chief of staff,” reported NBC News.
The outlet noted that which also noted that the Freedom Caucus “was credited with forcing then-Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, into an early retirement and then blocked McCarthy from succeeding Boehner that year as speaker.”
“Its members also clashed with then-Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and later tormented McCarthy before overthrowing him in early October,” NBC News continued.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., however, dismissed negative views of Good saying, “He’s a good debater. He would do a good job.”
“That’s the democratic process, that’s fine. Let people in, let our people decide,” he added, asserting that other lawmakers could have vied for the position as well.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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