When Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin learned that Republican research linked GOP candidates to a blog featuring photos of naked men, he tried to save his party from an embarrassing situation.
Youngkin called candidate John Reid, a longtime conservative talk radio host in Richmond, and said the campaign should be abandoned to ensure that the website is found and tank the entire party ticket.
“You need to drop out,” Youngkin said two people explained over the phone.
Then something interesting happened. Reed did not quit. Instead, he posted a five-minute video on social media, pointing out that he is gay and explaining that he had seen porn and had a one-night stand in the past. Republican bases in Virginia soon gathered around him.
He also revealed an astonishing political juice shortage from Youngkin, who has been considered a Republican presidential candidate since the day he won the election as governor in 2021. A wealthy former private equity executive, he has been widely praised for saving Virginian Republicans from forgetting and has since his victory funded many of the nation's many parties.
The comment is because Democrats are so fond of winning the November election for the governor of Virginia, one of the marquee races of the year. Since 1977, Virginia voters have elected governors of the same party as the president.
Virginia Democrats are particularly optimistic this year as Trump is so popular in the state and is bearing the brunt of federal layoffs. Unable to run again due to the time limit, Youngkin supports Lt. Col. Winsam Earl Sears as his Republican successor, but she has raised less than half the money of her Democratic candidate, former president Abigail Spanberger.
The controversy split Virginian Republicans, further recessing their hopes. When Youngkin piloted Reed to push out, the party's Maga base was soon labelled by the governor as the facility's stogue.
“It's 5-1,” said John Fredericks, a right-wing talk radio host who has a daily syndicated show across Virginia. “They want the lead to stay in the race. They think the facility is trying to ruin him. Who cares about his penis with the tumbler? No one cares.”
The troubles in Virginia began later last month when Reid's only opponent dropped out after undergoing heart surgery in a major Republican contest for the lieutenant governor.
The Republican Leadership Committee is the party's division that funds candidates for lieutenant governor, and has since produced a basic research document on Mr. Reid. This includes Tumblr blogs with the same username he used on other social media sites and subsequently deleted. The Washington Post described it as “from explicit photos of male genitals to images typical of risqué underwear ads.”
Reid, whose father served in the Virginia Legislature and once accidentally fired a gun at his Capitol, denied being the author of Tumblr.
In an extraordinary move, he posted a five-minute explanation of the situation and vowed to stay in the race while standing in front of portraits of Youngkin and Earl Sears. He attended a drug show in Richmond, but said he called Tumblr a “fake account” and said the idea that it belonged to him was a “complete, manufactured internet lie.”
“Have you seen porn? Yes,” he said. “Did I have a one-night stand? Is my exe still in love with me? No. What can I tell you? Why am I a candidate who has to answer these questions?
Virginia's election law does not have a mechanism that allows Republicans to enforce Reid from race. Reid, who refused to be interviewed for this article, remains rebellious as the controversy rushed a typical Republican alliance.
Earl Thurs keeps his distance from Reed. The Christian conservative wrote a note by hand to declare that she was “morally opposed” to the legislation signed by Youngkin, which last year barred Virginia officials from denying marriage licenses because of gender, gender and race.
Plus, others on the party's right wing are embracing Mr. Reid. The Loudoun County Republican Committee is currently selling the “I Support John Reid” T-shirt for $25.
Fredericks said the Republican base believes Reid is being treated unfairly, but he predicted that if he doesn't drop, he'll lose his Republican ticket.
“We're a great leader in Virginia Republicans,” said John Whitbeck, former chairman of the Virginia Republican Party. “This is yet another example of how to shoot yourself with the feet of a party.”
There's no shortage of Republicans aiming at each other's feet.
Reed's lawyers sent a letter of suspension and assumption to Youngkin's longtime political adviser. The advisor then left his post. The two sides exchanged letters of the accusation and leaked recordings of the meeting to Richmond News Media, highlighting the threat of new damages information about Reed.
Youngkin tried to declare something about the ceasefire. Reed won the winning lap while serving as guest host on Frederick's radio show.
“This situation is clearly swirling beyond what everyone intended,” said Tim Anderson, a former Virginia Assemblyman who supports Reid's campaign. “This should never have been a public sight. He should have been given the opportunity to personally meet with stakeholders, either to find a solution or to find a resolution or to show his defense before being asked to resign.”
Youngkin told reporters in Richmond last week that staying in the race was a “John Reed decision” after being asked about his campaign with Reed.
“He's clearly determined he'll stay,” Youngkin said. “And he's the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, and that's the answer, so I think the debate can stop there.”
Youngkin refused to ask for an interview and is currently supporting Reid's campaign.
“The governor is supporting GOP tickets,” said Becca Glover, spokeswoman for Youngkin. “We're moving forward.”
