Virginia Republicans are reeling -- and they have no one to blame but themselves

[Jilly_in_VA]

When Virginia voters elected businessman Glenn Youngkin as their governor in 2021, the Republican’s victory derailed years of Democratic gains across the commonwealth and even stirred speculation about Youngkin as a future presidential contender.

Less than four years later, Virginia’s Republican Party is on the verge of disaster thanks to an explosive scandal involving the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor and Youngkin’s baffling decision to embrace Donald Trump’s sweeping layoffs of federal workers, even though the state is home to over 340,000 federal workers. Few Virginians talk seriously about a future President Youngkin anymore.

The governor’s troubles are one more reminder that, despite playing the part of serious leaders, today’s MAGA-fied Republicans have entirely forgotten how to govern — or even how to police their own bad behavior. Youngkin’s GOP is turning off voters by the thousands and raising hopes of a Democratic blowout in statewide elections later this year.

And Virginia Republicans have no one to blame but themselves.

For many Virginians, the scandal dogging the GOP’s lieutenant governor nominee, John Reid, is a testament to Youngkin’s lack of influence within his own party. In late April, he privately urged Reid, Virginia’s first openly gay candidate for statewide office, to abandon his race after Republican research claimed to link Reid to a Tumblr account with pictures of nude men.

Reid didn’t just refuse the governor’s request. He released a video on social media denying the allegations. Trump-aligned Republican voters rallied around Reid and his message of MAGA persecution. “The governor made a big mistake” asking Reid to drop out, Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, told a Virginia news station. “He really stepped in it.”

Then, late last month, Reid accused Matt Moran, Youngkin’s top political strategist, of defaming and extorting him in an effort to push Reid off the ballot. Moran strongly denied the claims, even providing a sworn affidavit individually disputing each of Reid’s accusations.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/virginia-republicans-john-reid-scandal-glenn-youngkin-rcna205883

And it goes on...and on....! Hello, Gov. Spanberger!!

[Keepthesoulalive]

1. Let's hope so

We need heavy turnout in the cities and suburbs. The rural vote is not going to happen.

[spooky3]

3. And we need to sweep out the attorney general and elect

A D lieutenant governor.

[Keepthesoulalive]

4. I am not getting information on

The lieutenant governor or attorney general, I need more information on where they stand. I don’t want another Sinema.

[spooky3]

6. WaPo has a Virginia voter guide with links to the candidates' sites. Nt

[underpants]

2. Not counting on low rural turn out but the GOP ticket has a problem

First it’s an off year election. An odd one. Only New Jersey has a statewide race like this a year after a POTUS election. Virginia, as you probably know has a history of voting against the party in the White House.

Secondly, as much as the Va GOP loves to talk about its diverse ticket that ain’t gonna sell too well with the Bubbas. A black female Governor AND a gay in the #2 spot? Miyares almost gets a pass from them even though he’s Hispanic.

Abbie is a hell of a story and a great campaigner. I don’t think a lot of Bubbas will have a hard time either voting for her or just sitting this one out. If they have a debate Sears better stick with 5-7 3x5 cards and never go off script. Abbie’s district kept moving around so that she could battle out 52-48 or tighter races and she never lost one.

Youngkin was a fluke. Go back to our voting against the White House, his team out smarted the field in the ranked choice primary, and Mac Auliffe ran a horrible campaign. Youngkin had next to disappeared until Reid blew up in his face. I still have questions about this Tumblr account but it doesn’t look like those will be answered now.

[Initech]

5. Hey, you guys keep voting for the increasingly terrible Fox endorsed candidates!

Stop doing that! Fox destroys everything it touches!

[Keepthesoulalive]

7. We cannot change the rural areas of Virginia

But we can outvote them. They do not care about anything other than their culture even if they starve.

[EYESORE 9001]

8. Not many people remember the Virginia Reel, a dance from earlier days

The people of Virginia are about to see a rebooted version of this song & dance replete with toe-tapping hacks and flacks.