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Days After Glenn Youngkin Calls for Presumptive VA GOP Lt. Gov. Nominee John Reid to Step Aside, Reid Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter, Makes Comparison to Justin Fairfax Situation, Says He “will NOT be abused or blackmailed!! By ANYONE.”

By
lowkell
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1

See below for the latest in the Virginia Republicans’ increasingly nasty civil war, which started last Friday when Gov. Glenn Youngkin demanded that the Republicans’ presumptive 2025 Lt. Governor nominee, John Reid, step aside.

First, check this out from Brandon Jarvis of Virginia Scope : “John Reid sent Matt Moran, who runs Spirit of Virginia — which is Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s PAC — a cease and desist [Monday]…The letter directs Moran and anyone ‘who were involved in the dissemination of information to the press including but not limited to Graham Moomaw and Brandon Jarvis.'” I’m not sure what that means, exactly – is Reid saying the media shouldn’t report on the allegations against him by Glenn Youngkin’s people? Clearly, it’s newsworthy for the *governor* to be doing this, and it’s the media’s job to inform the public about what’s going on…

Also, check out the Virginia Scope article, which among other things reports, “As of Monday night, a Google search of ‘JRdeux’ still shows results with likes and reposts of naked men from the account.”

Next, here’s John Reid this morning stating, “If people thought I was bluffing – I was NOT! I will NOT be abused or blackmailed!! By ANYONE.” (including “supposed ‘friends'”).

Third, here’s John Reid comparing his situation to that of Justin Fairfax, who “was accused of horrible things,” and who John Reid “DEFENDED” when that happened – “just at the moment that he might become Governor.” According to Reid, “If they’d do it to a rising black man within the Democrat [sic] party…I should’ve  known that they’d do the same thing to me to try to keep a gay man from winning.”

Finally, Reid says this is “about saving Virginia” (from what? Glenn Youngkin? LOL), and again that he “refuse[s] to be bullied.”

The problem for the Virginia Republican Part is that this situation appears not only NOT to be blowing over, but if anything to be ESCALATING, with various people in the party taking sides (e.g., George Allen not surprisingly taking the side of his former aide; the Arlington GOP seemingly wanting to take action against Glenn oungkin and/or Youngkin’s people; Donald Trump’s former Virginia Chair, John Fredericks, calling on Reid to step aside and comparing him to the Mark Robinson disaster – for Republicans, that is – in North Carolina; etc.).

Meanwhile, Democrats are sitting back and enjoying this, as Youngkin seemingly weakens himself and as Virginia Republicans tear themselves apart heading into crucial elections for governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and every House of Delegates seat. Was all this part of Youngkin’s plan? Highly doubtful, but this is the end result…

Tuesday News: Trump’s Disastrous First 100 Days – at Home and Worldwide; “Trump made Carney’s turnaround victory possible”; “Trump Yells ‘FAKE'” as “More give [him] an F than any other grade for first 100 days”; “Tensions rise as Reid demands Youngkin’s PAC retract ‘Defamatory’ statements”

By
lowkell
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0

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, April 29.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Announces: “the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned”; “The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress.”

By
lowkell
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4

UPDATE May 20: Check out the very nice tribute video to Gerry Connolly, put together by the Fairfax Democrats…

Ugh, this really sucks; VERY sorry to hear it for a bunch of reasons, including that Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) is a strong fighter for democracy, for Ukraine, for NATO, for everything most of us care about, and it’s really unfortunate that we’ll be losing his powerful voice in Congress. Anyway, thanks to Gerry Connolly for his tremendous service, courage, tenacity, integrity, etc. for many years, and best of luck with your health going forward!

P.S. Rep. Connolly, now 75 years old, was first elected to the US House from VA11 in 2008 (first winning a Democratic primary over former Rep. Leslie Byrne, then defeating Republican Keith Fimian by over 10 points), having served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (Providence District) since 1995, including about five years (until January 2009) as chair. Connolly’s closest reelection was in 2010, a terrible year for Democrats nationally, when he was almost defeated by Fimian. Since then, he’s been reelected easily every two years, rising in seniority in the US House, and serving on the Foreign Affairs and Oversight/Reform Committees. For Connolly’s political positions and some of his key votes, click here. In November 2024, Rep. Connolly announced that he’d been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, but was optimistic that he’d beat it with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to have been the case…

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Connolly Issues Updated Open Letter to Constituents 

Fairfax, VA – Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) released the following open letter to his constituents: 

Dear Friends, 

I want to begin by thanking you for your good wishes and compassion as I continue to tackle my diagnosis. Your outpouring of love and support has given me strength in my fights – both against cancer and in our collective defense of democracy. 

When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency. After grueling treatments, we’ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned. I’ll do everything possible to continue to represent you and thank you for your grace. 

The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress. I will be stepping back as Ranking Member of the Oversight Committee soon. With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we’ve accomplished together over 30 years. My loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family – you all have been a joy to serve. 

Your friend and public servant, 

Gerry Connolly

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Video: Trump’s Former VA Campaign Chair Says “Youngkin is going to ostracize [Reid] from the ticket, which means that Reid is going to get blown out and can’t raise money.”

By
lowkell
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0

UPDATE 3:25 pm – Interesting theory I heard today from a super-sharp, plugged-in VA politico, that Youngkin’s people think Republicans are going to get shellacked this November, and don’t want it to be seen as a referendum on Youngkin – hence, the scapegoat, John Reid. Trump also presumably would prefer a scapegoat to being blamed for a crushing loss in Virginia…

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This is really classic, by Trump’s former VA campaign chair, MAGA radio host John Fredericks, regarding John Reid refusing to come on his show this morning, as well as VA GOP Chair Mark Peake also not coming on the show to talk about the situation with Reid, Youngkin, Earle-Sears, etc. BTW, right before Fredericks’ remarks, a caller was ranting about how gay men are supposedly “too sensitive…gay people are very sensitive…like a woman,” and that if you’re that sensitive, “why should anybody give you that much power?” Yikes.

“We offered [John Reid] two segments today, right now where you’re on – 7:15 to 7:45. We’ll give you two segments, you can take calls. I don’t do gotcha. I’m your friend, I’m your ally. Like I supported you. Now just because I asked for you to drop out because I think you’re going to get annihilated, well I’ve got a right to my opinion – so come on and defend it!…Mark Peake from Lynchburg is the new chairman…He was the handpicked chairman by Glenn Youngkin. We offered Peake an opportunity come on today at 7 a.m, I talked to him last night, he was going to do it, then he had a confflict, he had a breakfast or something, he couldn’t make it work. Hopefully we’ll get him on this week.

But the bottom line is Governor Youngkin called up Reid and told him to get out of the race because he had pictures that he said was going to blow up the ticket and he told him to get out. He didn’t ask him to get out, he told him to get out. Reid said no. And now Youngkin is going to ostracize him from the ticket, which means that Reid is going to get blown out and can’t raise money. And so the whole thing’s a mess. I mean it is what it is, I don’t know. And people are saying stay and fight. Fight for what? 28%? 38% of the vote? What the hell does that do?”

In sum – fun times for Virginia Republicans, couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of folks! LOL

Fmr. Governor/Senator George Allen (R), Fmr. VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) Agree: “Tariffs are nothing more than indirect taxation on our own people”; Presidents Can’t Legally Do So Without Congress

By
lowkell
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0

Amazingly, I agree with both former Governor/Senator George “Felix Macacawitz” Allen and with former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (a Trump-supporting conservative Republican) on this. But again, I can’t help but noting that *both these guys voted for Trump*, despite knowing full well what Trump would do on tariffs, democracy, and many other things – treatment of our allies, NATO, Ukraine, etc. – where traditional conservatives would have been, and still should be, utterly AGHAST.

So how did the George Allens and Bill Bollings of the world end up supporting Trump, despite all these major disqualifiers? Basically, it seems that they falsely demonized Democrats in general, and Kamala Harris specifically, as some sort of socialists/commies, while hyping the threat of an “invasion” by “illegals,” etc. In other words, racism/xenophobia/misogyny/etc. won out over their supposed  rock-solid conservative values (“free markets?” “free peoples?” “free expression?” whatever!). Truly disgusting. Anyway, with that, here’s the latest from self-professed conservative Republicans George Allen and Bill Bolling, this time on Trump’s massive tax increases…

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OK, let’s talk about someting other than John Reid today.

Here’s an interesting article from yesterday’s Richmond Times Dispatch, outlining former U.S. Senator George Allen’s opposition to President Trump’s tariff policy.

Needless to say, Allen is right. Tariffs are nothing more than indirect taxation on our own people, and he objects to the President, any President, trying to impose such taxation by Executive Order, as opposed to an act of Congress.

Allen has joined a coalition of conservatives — constitutional scholars and lawyers, a former U.S. attorney general and two other former members of the U.S. Senate — in support of a lawsuit the Liberty Justice Center filed this month on behalf of five companies. They say Trump’s tariffs have put their businesses in jeopardy by raising their costs without representation in Congress.

“I’ve taken a stand and it’s one I feel very strongly about,” Allen said in a recent interview. “If you want to preserve the Republic, you need to preserve the Constitution.”
Allen contends the country faces a greater threat from what he called “taxation by proclamation,” echoing the Founding Fathers’ opposition to “taxation without representation” under British King George III.

Conservatives, on principle, “are not for taxes,” he said, “but it you’re going to have taxes they ought to be enacted by the legislative body to hold them accountable, not by the executive.”

“The members of Congress ought to get off their haunches and assert their authority, and not have it usurped by executive proclamation,” Allen said.
You go George!

Billboard Campaign Slams Winsome Earle-Sears in Hampton Roads for Dismissing Attacks on Virginia Jobs

By
Blue Virginia
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0

From the Democratic Party of Virginia:

NEW: Billboard Campaign Slams Winsome Earle-Sears in Hampton Roads for Dismissing Attacks on Virginia Jobs
Virginia Democrats Launched Three Billboards Across Hampton Roads

VIRGINIA – Today Virginia Democrats launched three billboards along I-64 highlighting Winsome Earle-Sears’ callous disregard for the devastation the Trump Administration’s senseless firings could bring to scores of Hampton Roads families. The billboards read “Winsome Earle-Sears doesn’t care about 53,394 and counting unemployed Virginians” and “Winsome Earle-Sears doesn’t think losing your job is a big deal.” They also include Sears’ comments on the attacks on jobs from a closed-door event where she said “It happens all the time… And the media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing, and I don’t understand why.”

With nearly 52,000 federal employees, the Hampton Roads region is home to the third largest number of federal employees in the country.

“As thousands of Virginians face layoffs and the Hampton Roads economy comes under threat, Winsome Earle-Sears continues to downplay and dismiss the Trump Administration’s attacks on Virginia jobs. Every time Virginians see these billboards, they’ll be reminded that Sears doesn’t think losing a job is a huge deal and she isn’t doing her job of fighting for the Commonwealth,” said DPVA Spokesperson Maggie Amjad.

 

Read more about Sears’ record dismissing and defending the attacks on Virginia jobs: Winsome Earle-Sears has dismissed and laughed off attacks on Virginia jobs over and over again.

  • Winsome Earle-Sears was caught on tape dismissing and laughing off the attacks on Virginia jobs saying “the media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing… and I don’t understand why.”
  • Instead of standing up to attacks on Virginia jobs, Sears told Virginians facing layoffs “don’t fret.”
  • Sears also said “just about everybody has lost a job … It is life happening.” 

Winsome Earle-Sears has defended Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce and economy.

  • The Youngkin-Sears administration’s response to workers at risk of losing their jobs was “update your resume.”
  •  As Donald Trump attacked Virginia’s workforce and economy, Sears declared she would help Trump “get the job done” if she were governor.

The few resources Sears offered to help Virginians ended up being broken links that led to “404 Page Not Found” website errors.

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Monday News: “Trump Tells Americans What Putin Wants Them to Hear”; “Clown-Show Fascism”; “Is the US Becoming an Autocracy?” “Trump took the US economy to the brink of a crisis in just 100 days”; “The weekend that sent the [VA GOP] into a tailspin”

By
lowkell
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7

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, April 28.

Fmr. VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R): “It is an all out war between John Reid and Governor Glenn Youngkin and Youngkin’s political operatives. I’ve honestly never seen anything like this.”

By
lowkell
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8

Regarding the latest developments in the growing intra-Virginia Republican civil war (the latest: their presumptive nominee for Lt. Governor, John Reid, accused Youngkin’s people of “extortion,” staging a “coup” against him, etc.), former VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Trump-supporting conservative Republican, has the following to say:

“This just goes from bad to worse. It is an all out war between John Reid and Governor Glenn Youngkin and Youngkin’s political operatives. I’ve honestly never seen anything like this.

Either John Reid is being persecuted unfairly, or the Youngkin people have information about him that we don’t know about. If they do, they need to make their case publicly or move on.

And what about Winsome Sears and Jason Miyares? Do they stand with Youngkin or do they stand with Reid?”

Demanding Presumptive VA GOP 2025 LG Nominee John Reid Drop Out Without Actually Getting Him to Drop Out Makes Glenn Youngkin Look Super Weak Within the Trump/MAGA GOP?

By
lowkell
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3

UPDATE 4:45 pm Sunday – YIKES, check this out!

“Hi. I’m John Reid. It’s Sunday afternoon and I had certainly hoped that we could put the bigotry and ugliness of last week behind us and unify our Republican ticket this year. But shockingly, once again, representatives of my campaign have been told by the leader of Governor Youngkin’s political organization that the attacks on me will continue unless I drop out of the race for lieutenant governor. What colossal arrogance and abuse to a loyal fellow Republican and like it or not the declared legal nominee of our party just like what we saw against President Trump over the last eight years!

My representatives were shown the same explicit photographs of other people that I’ve got nothing to do with that I was shown last week and they were told that if I dropped out of the race they would purchase the opposition research and the lies and threats against me would suddenly stop. This is extortion and it is illegal in Virginia. And I am more outraged now. I have engaged legal counsel to pursue all options against these people.

The insiders in Virginia politics made a big miscalculation if they thought that I would bow down to anyone or run away scared. I’m a conservative Trump supporter and I’m gay, and everybody knows it because I’ve told you in person and in the media for decades. I’ve not broken any law and I’m not a hypocrite. I do not pretend that I was a saint before I entered into my current 8-year relationship. Personally and politically, I don’t have anything to say about what consenting adults do in private.

I am sickened and outraged at the weeks of veiled accusations and attacks on my family. And I’m not going to continue to answer a never-ending parade of questions and false accusations from people who we now know are solely motivated to stage a coup against a gay man whom they didn’t want to be their nominee but didn’t have the guts to run against. It’s unfair. No one else has to deal with this type of speculation and hyper scrutiny of their past before they were married or engaged and I won’t either.

I’m the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor and I’m more transparent and I’m more conservative and I’m tougher than any of my detractors. And I’m not going anywhere – except to get back on the campaign trail, win this election and take these people to court.”

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Does Glenn Youngkin actually think that demanding the presumptive 2025 VA GOP Lt. Governor nominee, John Reid, drop out – but then having Reid NOT drop out, and if anything see many Virginia conservatives rally around Reid! – is going to help him with Trump, MAGA, etc. for 2026 or 2028? If anything, it seems to me that this is only going to HURT Youngkin going forward within the MAG GOP, where looking powerless, pathetic, disrespected, not listened to within your own party, etc. is not exactly an “alpha male” display that’s going to make MAGA/Trumpist hearts swoon! LOL

Meanwhile, what are presumptive VA GOP gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears and attorney general nominee Jason Miyares doing? Hiding in their basements? Do they really think it’s sustainable to simply go day after day without saying a word about the whole John Reid controversy, when Reid is the presumptive LG nominee on THEIR TICKET???

Winsome Earle-Sears making lame/ridiculous excuses, while it looks like far-right Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09) is standing by John Reid…

 

New Polling Shows Trump at Just 38%-58% Approval in Virginia: “Obviously some big headwinds for Virginia GOP”

By
lowkell
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6

So, according to new polling by Civiqs, Trump’s now at a miserable 38% approval overall in Virginia — and just 32% among women, about 30% for those under age 50, etc. As Sam Shirazi says, “Obviously some big headwinds for Virginia GOP.”

Of course, keep in mind that  – as I wrote about a bit over a week ago – there’s not a clear/strong correlation across all these elections between a president’s approval rating and the outcome of the Virginia governor’s election. Thus, while in 2017 and 2021 – and also to an extent in 2005 – a president’s low approval rating corresponded with a loss for the Virginia gubernatorial candidate of the same party; but in 2001, 2009 and 2013, we really didn’t see a connection (e.g., in 2001, George W. Bush’s approval rating was at 88% post-9/11, yet Democrat Mark Warner won the Virginia governor’s race).

Still, having said that, low approval ratings for the president of your party certainly don’t HELP your candidate, all else being equal. And it’s even worse – MUCH worse, potentially – if the low approval ratings for the president of your party correspond with voter anger and intensity against that president. Because, as we know, angry voters tend to turn out to the polls, while content or demoralized or unexcited voters tend to stay home.  In 2017, for instance, it was *Democrats* who were super-pissed-off at the Trump Republican Party – and who turned out strongly in November to elect Ralph Northam and help Democrats pick up a massive 15 seats in the House of Delegates, almost taking back control of that chamber for the first time in many years. As for 2021, Democrats actually *did* turn out in large numbers, but Republican turnout  – fueled by anger at the Biden administration, inflation, COVID, etc – was through the ROOF, near presidential levels in some of the “reddest” parts of Virginia. Which enabled Youngkin to squeeze out a narrow victory in November 2021.

So what will happen in November 2025? At the moment, at least – and of course things could change a little or a lot by the fall – Trump’s approval ratings are very low in Virginia, PLUS the intensity (white-hot rage) right now seems to be more with Democrats. So that’s where we are in April, but what will things look like in October/November? We’ll see, but if it’s similar to now, or potentially even wore for Republicans by then (if the economy slips into a recession, for instance), then…yeah, I’d rather be the “blue” team than the “red” team for sure. Oh, and then there’s the fact that the Republican ticket could be a mess, after Glenn Youngkin called on their LG nominee, John Reid, to drop out.

But…yep, standard disclaimers/warnings: do NOT take anything for granted, do NOT get overconfident, make sure you DO vote and remind everyone you know to vote (Democratic, up and down the ballot, of course), etc. Because, in the end, we can only control our own actions, not what happens nationally, with Trump’s approval ratings, etc. So let’s stay focused.

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