(José Niño, Headline USA) A Republican candidate in Virginia’s statewide elections is facing controversy over alleged ties to a social media account filled with gay pornography, though he claims he is being targeted by an extortion attempt.
John Reid is the first openly homosexual candidate to seek statewide office in Virginia as lieutenant governor.
The controversy began late last month when Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s, R-VA., political advisors identified a Tumblr account under the username “jrdeux,” which matched Reid’s Instagram and Threads handles, according to a report by The Associated Press.
CBS 6 reported that the account, active since at least 2014, contained hundreds of reblogged posts featuring nude male models, sexual acts, and fetish content, though none depicted Reid himself.
A vulnerability study commissioned by Republican operatives flagged the account as a potential liability for Reid’s candidacy.
Toward the end of last month, Youngkin privately urged Reid to withdraw from the race, citing the account’s content as a distraction. Reid refused, asserting the account was fabricated and part of a smear campaign.
The Tumblr page was deleted shortly after media inquiries, but archived screenshots confirmed its existence.
Reid, a conservative radio host, denied ownership of the account in a series of social media videos. He claimed “local religious activists” first alerted him to the allegations in early April, pressuring him to exit the race over photos of him attending a drag show.
“I can tell you that’s not my account,” Reid proclaimed in a video addressing the controversy, as mounting pressure urges him to bow out of the race.
In the video, Reid mentions being approached by individuals who warned that the account could harm his campaign, per a report by The Daily Mail.
“I demanded to see the evidence, and someone created a social media account with my instagram name, a name, which I’ve had for years, but this fake account reposted nude pictures of other people, models and porn models,” he said. “I can tell you, that’s not my account, and anyone on the internet can open accounts with the same or similar names as other people.”
After his sole primary opponent, Pat Herrity, dropped out on April 21 due to health issues, Reid became the uncontested nominee.
He claims Youngkin’s team then escalated efforts to force him out, threatening to weaponize the Tumblr content unless he withdrew.
In a video posted last Monday, Reid accused Matt Moran, Youngkin’s political action committee director, of extortion. “They were told if I dropped out, they would purchase the opposition research and the lies would stop. This is illegal in Virginia,” the homosexual GOP candidate said.
Reid’s legal counsel sent a cease-and-desist letter to Moran, demanding an end to the “smear” attacks.
Moran’s sworn affidavit, released on Wednesday, countered Reid’s claims. He alleged Reid’s campaign manager, Noah Jennings, knew about the Tumblr account beforehand and sought job opportunities during discussions about the vulnerability study.
Moran also stated he shared the findings with Reid in late April, but Reid skipped a scheduled meeting to review the evidence.
As the campaign continues, Reid’s response to these allegations could define his political future.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
