Group of House Republicans backing primary challenge to Freedom Caucus leader Good

Some members of the House Republican Conference are reportedly attempting to oust fellow GOP Rep. Bob Good, the leader of the conference's ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, for what they consider his and group's attempts to undermine the conference's larger agenda. 

Good was one of the one of eight Republicans who in October 2023 voted to remove California GOP Rep Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, a move that left the conference searching for a new leader for several weeks.

Among the leaders of the effort to unseat Good, of Virginia, is less-known Wisconsin Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

“Bob Good didn’t come here to govern," Van Orden recently told CNN. "He came here to be famous. Bob Good’s wearing our jersey, and he’s not on the team.”

Van Orden and a "band" of fellow House Republicans are backing former Navy SEAL John McGuire in the June primary, the cable news network also reports. 

New House Speaker Mike Johnson has a narrow majority, and with the most-conservative members of his conference opposed to some measures – spending bills in particular – has resulted in him, McCarthy before him, having to rely on Democrats for passage. 

“If you look at what we have not been able to accomplish in this Congress, it’s predominantly because of Bob Good and his ilk," Van Orden also said.

However, Good still appears to have a lot of clout among his large party's conservative base and its superstar lawmakers.

Good was reportedly joined in his campaign last week in hi district by fellow House GOP hardliners such as Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Chip Roy of Texas.

“They’ve never heard of Derrick Van Orden," he told CNN about district voters. "They could (sic) care less what Derrick Van Orden thinks. “RINOs, establishment moderates do nothing to influence Republican primary elections. Conservative, courageous warriors like those endorsing me today and being here with me today are the ones who my constituents care about.”

The 58-year-old Good who won his first race in 2020 by unseating a moderate GOP incumbent, Denver Riggleman. Good is one of four Republicans who are being targeted by members from within their own conference, CNN also reports.