Virginia’s Republican Party is spiraling into chaos after Gov. Glenn Youngkin called on John Reid, the GOP’s first openly gay statewide nominee, to quit his bid for lieutenant governor—over a scandal Reid says reeks of political homophobia.
Reid, who made history this week by securing the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, now finds himself under siege. Just days after celebrating his win over establishment candidate Pat Herrity, Reid said he got a chilling call from Youngkin’s office warning him about explicit photos circulating online.
According to the Washington Post, the alleged images were tied to an old Tumblr account featuring nude photos of men—some linked to usernames similar to Reid’s Instagram handle. The account has since been deleted. Reid denies any connection to it.
“I have seen the supposed ‘evidence,'” Reid told reporters. “It’s not my account. It’s a coordinated attempt to destroy my campaign.”
Sources close to the matter told 4 Washington that Reid also received pressure from a religious activist, who urged him to drop out after old images surfaced showing him attending a drag show—an event Reid says was public and well-documented long before his campaign.
In a carefully-worded statement Friday, Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC confirmed the governor had called Reid personally to request he “step aside” after being made aware of the “disturbing online content.”
Reid fired back with a defiant video posted to X, standing proudly between portraits of Youngkin and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
“I’ve been openly gay for 30-plus years,” Reid declared. “I have not broken the law. I have not hidden who I am. And I refuse to be erased now.”
Reid framed the controversy as part of a broader pattern of discrimination within a Republican Party increasingly at war with itself over LGBTQ+ inclusion.
“This is not about scandal,” Reid said. “This is about fear—fear of change, fear of difference.”
The stakes are high: Youngkin, limited by Virginia’s one-term rule, is eyeing his political future while Earle-Sears, the current lieutenant governor, gears up to run for governor herself. Reid’s insurgent candidacy threatened to upend the carefully laid plans of a party desperate to present a unified front in November.
Democrats wasted no time pouncing. “The GOP’s intolerance is on full display,” said Democratic strategist Lina Calderon. “They embraced John Reid when it was convenient. Now they’re throwing him under the bus.”
While Republicans scramble behind the scenes, Reid shows no signs of backing down.
“I’m still in this race,” he vowed Friday. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
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Let voters decide
I for one could care less what photos Msy or may not be of him or what’s in his personal life all I care about is whether he’s competent to do the job and will do a good job and is qualified to he governor if something happens to the Govenor. Nothing else matters
No such thing as homophobia, it’s not a phobia to be against homosexuality addiction mental illness!
GOP still not screening candidates well enough…
Angelo turning against the Lord and the party as well as the country dose matter. Don’t forget God destroyed a complete city be cause gays would not turn from their ways. That would make him a traitor to God, America, the constitution and we the people. God is intolerant of those who defy Him and His word. Reid will regret his stand when he meets God face to face. I will pray he changes before that day.