Virginia’s Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, John Reid, is pushing back hard after Governor Glenn Youngkin asked him to drop out of the race due to a nude photo scandal. Reid claims the controversy is being used to force him out because he’s gay.
Reid made history this week by becoming the first openly gay person nominated by the Virginia GOP for statewide office. He won the party’s nomination over Pat Herrity and is set to appear on the ballot this November.
But soon after his win, Reid says he got a call from Governor Youngkin’s office. According to The Washington Post, Youngkin told him about old, explicit photos that had surfaced online. The images were reportedly linked to a deleted Tumblr account that included nude photos of men and used a name similar to Reid’s Instagram handle.
Reid denies the account belongs to him and says he’s being targeted unfairly.
“The Governor did call me today and said there were salacious pictures on the internet reposted by an account that uses my Instagram handle,” Reid told The Washington Post. “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. As long as I have been in the public space, I have been a target for malicious and salacious lies. This is the second overt attempt to try to force me from the race.”
Reid also told 4 Washington that he received another call from a religious activist, who urged him to quit the race after seeing photos of him attending a drag show.
Youngkin’s team confirmed the governor spoke to Reid directly.
“The Governor was made aware late Thursday of the disturbing online content,” Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC said in a statement on Friday. “Friday morning, in a call with Mr. Reid, the Governor asked him to step down as the Lt. Governor nominee.”
In a video posted to X on Friday, Reid strongly defended himself and accused his opponents of trying to smear him.
“I’ve been openly gay for 30-plus years. I have not broken the law. I’ve told the truth about who I am for 30 years, and I’ll do it again now,” he said, speaking in front of portraits of Governor Youngkin and current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears.
Reid called the situation a “coordinated character assassination attempt” and says he is not backing down.
Governor Youngkin is nearing the end of his four-year term. Current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears is running to replace him.
Watch Reid’s response below:
Please watch and listen intently and hear the facts of the matter! Official Statement!!! pic.twitter.com/q5MxSorBZ9
— John Reid (@JohnReid4VA) April 25, 2025
