Virginia Republicans are facing internal conflict following Governor Glenn Youngkin's call for lieutenant-governor nominee John Reid to withdraw due to accusations of posting explicit content online. Reid, who denies ownership of the account and claims it could belong to anyone, is Virginia's first openly gay statewide nominee. Youngkin views the situation as a potential distraction from crucial campaign issues, while some party members criticize the governor’s quick abandonment of Reid, worrying about the implications for the party's unity ahead of the 2025 election.
"That's not my account," Reid insisted after the scandal was unearthed by the Richmonder. "Anyone on the Internet can open accounts with the same or similar names as other people. I’m not going anywhere."
Youngkin has deemed the gay-porn scandal a 'distraction' that will likely hurt the party if allowed to continue. "It's a distraction for campaigns, and it's a distraction from people paying attention to the most important issues…"
If this is how the Governor's political operation wants to close out his term in Richmond - by tossing a grenade into the statewide Republican ticket - it's truly a shame," Arlington GOP Chair Matthew Hurt said.
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