What did John McGuire do this week? 4/26/25
He went everywhere, just like Johnny Cash.
On Friday, Rep. McGuire sent out a newsletter that began:
Johnny Cash's hit song I've Been Everywhere perfectly describes my week. The House is in recess, so I have been spending time all over Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, connecting with small business owners and local leaders. I toured the NOVEC Biomass facility in Halifax County, stopped by the Seneca Commerce Park in Campbell County, and saw the Hermle North America facility in Amherst County. I also met with the Liberty University Football Team's Head Coach.
Ever the stickler for fact-checking, I set out to confirm McGuire’s claim to have been “everywhere.” This is the kind of deep research you’ve come to expect from me, the Night Watchman. I have a reputation to uphold!
We’ll start with McGuire’s itinerary. He lists four places, one each in Halifax, Campbell, and Amherst counties, plus Liberty University in Lynchburg.
How does that compare to the Man in Black? In “I’ve Been Everywhere,” Cash rattles off the names of 92 places.
Only it turns out, McGuire actually went more than four places this week. Friday night, perhaps realizing he’d undersold himself and knowing that his critics are knocking him for being invisible, he tweeted:
That’s still not exactly 92 places, but to my untrained eye, it looks like a more defensible agenda for a recess week.
I admit I was surprised to learn that McGuire was part of a two-person panel for 70 Charlottesville constituents. I try to stay abreast of his comings and goings, but I didn’t know about this event until I saw his tweet. If you went to that event and can pass along any notes—what the panel was about, who hosted, what was said—please leave them in the comments section below or email me.
Also, the two tweets came from his campaign account, not his congressional one. Is that because the visits counted as campaign events? That’s an honest question—I don’t know what the rules are.
One place the real McGuire did not go
John McGuire did not show up for the town hall on Saturday organized by Indivisible Charlottesville, but apparently around 1,000 others did. You can stream the event on the group’s YouTube channel.
He also wished you a Happy Easter
With this tweet.
Donald Trump had an Easter message that was, let’s say, less charitable. Given McGuire’s attachment to the president, I wondered what it would sound like if he were to read Trump’s note aloud. So I created a passably McGuire-sounding voice via ElevenLabs and added a little holiday-appropriate music to boot. Enjoy.
So he visited GOPers and carefully selected groups. He was invited to the Town Hall in Charlottesville, but left his chair empty. Put his foot on the GAS to go elsewhere. Anywhere else as long as it's the past.
Did he really say that he "waived" good morning? Not surprising!