Virginia Rep. Denver Riggleman became the third House member rejected by his party for another term this year, losing the 5th District Republican convention Saturday to Bob Good, a former Liberty University athletics director who says he is committed to the countrys founding Judeo-Christian values.
Good said he captured 58 percent of the vote at the drive-thru convention, which was held in the parking lot of a church in Campbell County, where he once served as supervisor. Delegates cast votes from their cars to avoid exposure to the coronavirus, but after the convention ended at 7 p.m., counting was done behind closed doors and results were not announced until after 1 a.m Sunday. At one point, a Riggleman consultant said the campaign was challenging votes cast from Campbell County.
Shortly after midnight, Riggleman tweeted that voting irregularities and ballot stuffing were reported in multiple counties, that fraud was a hallmark of this nomination process, and that his campaign was evaluating all our options at this time.
Thats what losers say, Good told reporters early Sunday in a news conference carried on Facebook Live. We won by a convincing margin, so I think that makes that ring particularly hollow.
Rigglemans ouster comes after infighting between powerful religious conservatives in the sprawling Virginia district some angered by Rigglemans decision to officiate a gay wedding last summer and those who say the party needs to diversify and move to the center to survive in a purple state.
The dispute has also attracted the attention of Democrats who have said a loss by Riggleman could help swing the district their way in November.
Good told CQ Roll Call last year that he was a constitutional conservative who would do a better job than Riggleman, an Air Force veteran and the owner of a whisky distillery, of representing the conservative values of the district.
He cited several of Rigglemans positions that he said were too liberal or reflected tepid support of President Donald Trump, including the incumbents support for banking legislation that would make it easier for legal marijuana businesses to work with financial institutions and his vote with Democrats in October to condemn the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.
Riggleman had Trumps endorsement, along with those of influential Washington conservatives such as House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs and founding member Jim Jordan. He also had support from Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. Falwells brother backed Good, as did former GOP Rep. Tom Garrett, who represented the district for one term before Riggleman.
Trump tweeted his support of Riggelman in December, but the president did not renew it in the days before Saturdays convention. Trumps reelection campaign had sent out a news release earlier this month saying his congressional endorsements had a perfect record of 64-0, so Rigglemans loss would break that streak. ... Riggleman said he was clear about his libertarian-leaning positions when he originally clinched the partys nomination two years ago. He beat religious conservative Cynthia Dunbar by one vote at an emergency meeting held to replace Garrett, who had announced he was an alcoholic and would not seek reelection.
Some of Dunbars supporters led efforts to have Riggleman censured by the party after he officiated the wedding. They also worked on Goods campaign.