Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to reporters hours after he was ousted as Speaker of the House, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington. **FILE**Kevin McCarthy squeaked out a win in his campaign of revenge against the eight Republicans who voted to remove him as House speaker. But the California Republican is not getting much of the credit for Virginia Rep. Bob Good’s primary loss.
Rep. Ryan Zinke, one of the first lawmakers to endorse against Mr. Good and throw money behind Mr. McGuire through his SEAL PAC, agreed.Mr. McCarthy acknowledged the weight Mr. Trump’s endorsement carries when his proxy effort to oust South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, one of the eight who voted to depose him, failed. Mr. McCarthy had financially backed Catherine Templeton, who lost to Ms. Mace by 27 points.
Mr. Good said Mr. McCarthy’s only engagement was funneling outside money “to deceive the voters of the 5th District” about his record. He encouraged the former speaker to come to the district and actually campaign for Mr. McGuire, but that didn’t happen. The fact that the race came down to a few hundred votes despite Mr. Trump’s endorsement of Mr. McGuire and Mr. McCarthy’s financial interference is a credit to Mr. Good, according to members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus that Mr. Good chairs.
Mr. McCarthy “was removed from his speakership by some people that have absolutely no understanding about how things function,” Mr. Van Orden said. “Bob Good is in that crew, and Bob Good is just the first one on my list.” Mr. Crane predicted his primary will show that the people who sent him to Washington are pleased with him for voting against establishment Republicans when necessary.