Republican drama is currently unfolding in Virginia, which could potentially have a significant impact on the 2025 governor’s race between Winsome Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger. Both candidates are aiming to become the state’s first female governor.
Virginia conducts its elections in off years, and this year, voters will be choosing the next governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. The current governor, Glenn Youngkin, cannot run again due to term limits. Winsome Sears, the current lieutenant governor, leads the ticket, with Jason Miyares, the current attorney general, seeking re-election.
Initially, there was a primary race for lieutenant governor, with Pat Herrity and John Reid contending for the nomination. However, Herrity withdrew from the race last week due to health issues following heart surgery. This, in turn, solidified the Republican ticket as Sears for governor, Reid for lieutenant governor, and Miyares for attorney general.
Or, so it seemed.
On Friday The Richmonder reported that Gov. Youngkin had placed a call to Reid, the first openly gay candidate for statewide office, and asked that Reid step away from the ticket. At issue was apparently a now-deleted Tumblr account on which some questionable content was posted that used a name similar to one Reid has used elsewhere online.
“The Governor was made aware late Thursday of the disturbing online content,” a spokesperson for Spirit of Virginia said. “Friday morning, in a call with Mr. Reid, the Governor asked him to step down as the Lt. Governor nominee.”
There has been rampant speculation online that a Youngkin consultant urged the governor to place the call to Reid, possibly using information obtained from an opposition research firm.
Reid denied the Tumblr account was his, stating: “I have now seen the supposed ‘evidence’ and it’s not my account, even though they’ve used a similar username to what I have on Instagram.” On Sunday, he released a video stating that he would not be stepping away from the ticket.
These guys are openly trying to extort me to make me quit!
I won’t stand for it! pic.twitter.com/vV2ZDh7cmP
— John Reid (@JohnReid4VA) April 27, 2025
On Monday evening, Reid’s attorneys a cease and desist letter to the Youngkin consultant in question, via Youngkin’s political arm Spirit of Virginia, referencing “false and defamatory statements” the consultant is alleged to have disseminated about Reid. The letter also references a May 3 deadline that the consultant apparently gave Reid advising him to step away from the ticket or face the release of additional and presumably salacious information.
It’s important to note here that, despite repeated by conservative activists over the last few days for the supposed incriminating evidence against John Reid to be made public, no such evidence had emerged at the time of this article’s publication. A request for comment made to Spirit of Virginia by RedState has gone unanswered.
