(The Center Square) – Republican nominee John Reid defended his candidacy on-air Thursday, pushing back against calls to drop out and framing the controversy around him as a test of conservative resolve in a high-stakes statewide election year.
Reid, filling in as host on The John Fredericks Radio Show, addressed the uproar over a Tumblr account containing explicit material that was flagged for allegedly sharing a similar social media handle to one associated with him. He has denied any connection to the account.
On air, Reid positioned himself as a target of political and ideological attacks, describing the controversy as an attempt to “destroy your life” for not conforming politically or socially. He said Virginians need a candidate who reflects their values, and emphasized his intention to keep running.
“Last night I had this rally in Henrico. It was supposed to be the big unity rally for all three of the statewide candidates, but whatever, that didn’t work out,” he said, noting his campaign rented the venue and that about 800 people showed up in support.
“I was so thankful that those people showed up.” Reid acknowledged feeling hurt and frustrated by the situation, saying he believes he’s being treated unfairly. Still, he said he’s trying to stay disciplined, knowing that “everything is on the line.”
Reid emphasized the importance of keeping a conservative candidate in the race, saying Virginians need someone who reflects their values. He criticized what he described as left-wing attacks and efforts to “destroy your life” if you don’t conform politically or socially.
The controversy intensified after Reid’s attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Matt Moran, executive director of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s PAC, accusing the group of spreading false claims.
Moran responded with an affidavit and legal letter, stating he alerted Reid’s campaign to the account weeks earlier and had offered to review the content in person. According to Moran, Reid’s campaign manager acknowledged the issue but did not follow through on the meeting.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP’s nominee for governor, addressed the situation in a statement Wednesday.
“John Reid is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. It is his race, and his decision alone to move forward. We all have our own race to run,” said Earle-Sears.
The lieutenant governor also warned that “focus on the lieutenant governor nominee distracted from that mission and cannot continue,” calling instead for party unity heading into November.
Former Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling was less forgiving, questioning the clarity of Earle-Sears’ position and writing, “Say what? I’m not really sure what this statement means.”
Bolling added, “It is hard to measure the damage done by this unfortunate situation, but it is significant… It has also done significant damage to Governor Youngkin within the GOP.”
