Latest news with #RepublicanPartyofVirginia
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
John Curran relaunches LG bid as write-in, alleging signature sabotage
John Curran has re-entered the lieutenant governor contest as a write-in candidate. (Photo courtesy of John Curran). John Curran, the former Republican candidate for lieutenant governor who said internal sabotage cost him a spot on the primary ballot, announced Monday he is re-entering the race — this time as a GOP-aligned write-in. 'Today, I am announcing my WRITE-IN campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia as a Republican,' Curran said in a statement. 'My decision is not to split the ticket but to save it.' Curran's announcement reignites tensions in an already turbulent race following his exit in April, when he failed to qualify for the ballot despite claiming to have far surpassed the 10,000-signature requirement. 'Unfortunately, a person(s) associated with my campaign conspired to steal most of my signatures and then attempted to extort money for them,' Curran wrote in a Facebook post after the filing deadline passed. 'Disappointingly, the Virginia Department of Elections and the Republican Party of Virginia did nothing to correct this wrong.' Mark Peake, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, dismissed Curran's write-in bid as entirely unofficial, distancing the party from his campaign. 'He is not running under the GOP banner whatsoever,' Peake said. 'We have a GOP candidate, and that's John Reid.' Peake pointed out that Curran never qualified for the Republican primary, despite claiming to be a contender. 'He failed to get enough signatures to get on the ballot,' he said. 'He is 100% not a Republican candidate in this upcoming election.' And Andrea Gaines, a spokeswoman for the department, said in an email that since write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot, 'they do not have party affiliation.' Political observers say Curran's surprise reentry raises more questions than answers. 'It is difficult to know what to make of John Curran's announcement,' said David Richards, a political science professor at the University of Lynchburg. 'As a write-in candidate, it seems like the sore loser law might not apply, but it also might limit his campaigning. Regardless, the whole thing seems odd.' Curran said in his statement that his campaign is fueled by 'grassroots organizations, religious and family groups, and collegiate groups' and not designed to divide the party. But by positioning himself as an alternative to Reid, the GOP's official nominee, he risks deepening an already visible rift within the party. 'Is Curran running to offer an alternative to John Reid? While that might seem a likely scenario, it has the danger of splitting the party,' Richards noted. 'And the GOP has already been wrestling with Reid's candidacy.' Reid, a conservative commentator and longtime Richmond radio host, became the GOP's nominee by default after Pat Herrity, a longtime member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, dropped out for health reasons. Late last month, Virginia's GOP turmoil escalated when Reid accused Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC of attempted extortion, claiming the group offered to make damaging attacks disappear if he dropped out. Reid said the threats came after Youngkin personally urged him to quit over concerns tied to a controversial social media account. Reid, the first openly gay statewide candidate in Virginia history, called the situation 'bigotry and ugliness,' warning that the pressure from party leaders has only intensified. Curran alluded to those dynamics Monday, emphasizing that his concern is not Reid's personal background, but the process that installed him as nominee. 'This issue is not about my opponent being gay; it is about Virginia deserving the ability to choose who represents them as the Republican candidate,' he said. When asked for comment about Curran's renewed bid, a campaign spokesman for Reid texted back, 'Who?' Curran is now betting that Virginia conservatives will rally around a write-in candidacy — a historically uphill battle. 'Write-in campaigns are notoriously difficult to pull off,' Richards said, pointing to the failed 2024 effort by Bob Good supporters to mount a last-ditch write-in bid after his congressional primary defeat. 'Only a few hundred wrote in Good's name. This time it is a candidate himself announcing the write-in campaign. Maybe he will gain some traction, but it will take a tremendous shift in the GOP vote to make a difference.' Curran's platform touches on a range of issues — from housing and disaster recovery in Southwest Virginia to opposing abortion and improving adoption services. 'Virginia faces real issues that require strong leadership,' he said, portraying himself as a principled outsider wronged by the system. 'It is time for common sense and strength, for someone who will fight for everyone.' Still, his decision could prove costly for Republicans in November. 'Every write-in for Curran will mean a vote taken away from Reid,' Richards said. 'That opens the lead for whoever wins the Democratic primary in June.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Youngkin's political adviser under fire as extortion allegations rock Virginia GOP
John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, has remained defiant amid pressure from Gov. Glenn Youngkin to end his campaign. (Photo courtesy of John Reid) In a stunning escalation of Virginia's Republican infighting, Matt Moran — head of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC — has emerged as the central figure blamed for the widening rift between the governor and John Reid, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. After Reid publicly accused Spirit of Virginia of extortion Sunday without naming Moran, his campaign lawyers fired a cease and desist letter directly at Moran Monday evening, accusing him of making 'false and defamatory statements' about Reid — and threatening further legal action. Moran has declined multiple requests for comment. Meanwhile, pressure is building inside the party for accountability. Several GOP officials are urging the Republican Party of Virginia's Executive Committee to confidentially review the explicit images that Moran allegedly showed Youngkin — images that reportedly convinced the governor to personally ask Reid to drop out of the race. The result is a crisis that threatens not only to fracture Virginia Republicans months before Election Day but also to severely damage Youngkin's national ambitions. The controversy escalated after Reid, a conservative radio host and the first openly gay statewide candidate from either party in Virginia, posted a spirited video Sunday afternoon on X, formerly Twitter. 'I had certainly hoped that we could put the bigotry and ugliness of last week behind us and unify our Republican ticket this year,' Reid said. '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.' Hours later, Reid's legal team delivered a cease-and-desist letter to Moran, laying out accusations of defamation, extortion and reckless disregard for the truth. 'It has come to our attention that you provided information accusing our client of owning a Tumblr account containing unsavory images to multiple news organizations,' the letter reads. 'While this account shared a common username with our client's Instagram, he is not and never has been associated with the account.' Reid's attorneys said Moran crossed the line into defamation because the statements were 'knowingly untrue,' and warned that 'continued publication of these false claims would constitute actual malice.' In a particularly damning passage, the letter alleged that Moran made direct threats in an April 27 conversation with Reid: 'You literally said 'him getting out of the race is the only way it stops.'' The lawyers further argued that Moran's accusations gave rise to defamation and defamation per se, noting that falsely alleging Reid was linked to criminal behavior 'is so egregious that it is assumed to harm the plaintiff's reputation without further need to prove harm.' They demanded Moran 'immediately cease and desist' from making or publishing any additional false claims, and instructed him to preserve all documents related to the case, including communications with consulting firms and journalists. As the legal drama escalated, some Republican officials across the state voiced alarm at Moran's handling of the situation — and called for transparency. In a joint email sent to Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Mark Peake obtained by The Mercury, Rick Buchanan, chairman of the 5th Congressional District GOP Committee, and John Massoud, his counterpart in the 6th District, urged the party leadership to allow members of the State Central Committee's Executive Committee to review any alleged evidence confidentially. 'As leaders of the Republican Party of Virginia, we are very concerned about our upcoming elections,' Buchanan and Massoud wrote. 'Accusations have been made about our Lt. Governor nominee that are very serious. People are lining up on each side behind either the accuser or the accused, yet the evidence behind the allegations being made have not been forthcoming.' They stressed the need for unity, warning, 'In order for us to win this November, this affair must be put behind us. … Giving us the actual facts will make that possible.' In a phone interview Tuesday, Buchanan went even further, telling The Mercury that Youngkin must fire Moran to salvage party unity. 'Either way we come out of this, it has caused a lot of turmoil within the party,' he said. 'And I am very disappointed that the governor would listen to (Moran) without knowing the facts.' Amid the unfolding controversy, an event scheduled for Wednesday at Atlas 42 in Henrico County featuring the full Republican statewide ticket — with Youngkin billed as a special guest — was abruptly canceled. But Reid, undeterred, confirmed in a text message Tuesday that he still plans to go forward with the rally, even without his running mates. In a text message Tuesday, Moran declined to comment. But Virginia GOP figures like Casey Flores, founder of the Richmond chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, the nation's largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBTQ conservatives, made clear that Moran's position is becoming untenable. 'I think that this is blowing back on Governor Youngkin and Matt Moran more than they ever expected,' Flores said in a phone interview. 'Matt's being kind of the one-hit wonder — he had Youngkin's victory in 2021, but I think Youngkin won in spite of him, not because of him.' Flores accused Moran of trying to 'scuttle anything that doesn't make him money' and said his actions were now damaging the party's broader chances. 'In the age of Trump, people really don't care about all this, even if the accusations against John Reid were true, which they are not,' Flores said. 'Firing Matt really is the only appropriate thing for Governor Youngkin to do.' Moran, 36, has been a fixture in Virginia politics for over a decade. After managing one rural delegate's campaign and serving as a legislative aide for another, he rose quickly — first as spokesman for then-House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, then as chief of staff to Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights. He later joined Youngkin's campaign and served as director of policy and legislative affairs in the governor's office — but notably without taking a salary from the state. Instead, Moran stayed on leave from two consulting firms he had ownership interests in: Creative Direct and Link Public Affairs. Critics said the arrangement created serious conflicts of interest. 'There's certainly a cause for him to try to make money, both within the administration and outside of Spirit of Virginia through his other companies,' Scott Pio, chairman of the Loudoun County GOP Committee, said in a phone interview. Pio, whose committee hosted a rally for Reid in Sterling Monday evening, suggested that Moran's dual loyalties allowed him to shape Virginia policy while benefiting financially. 'Since Matt doesn't have a statewide client, he decides to throw this bomb,' Pio said, referencing the Reid controversy, which blew up just days after Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity — a client of Moran's — dropped out for health reasons last week. He also argued that firing Moran was a necessary step to rebuild trust: 'Youngkin being a businessman, he should know when to hire and fire quickly. He should not keep people around that are being inappropriate.' Even before the Reid episode, Moran's unpaid status within the administration had drawn scrutiny. In 2022, Youngkin's chief counsel Richard Cullen in an interview with The Washington Post defended Moran's arrangement, saying, 'He would have been the hottest guy in Richmond (for lobbying). But Matt did the opposite and to his financial detriment.' Moran declined an interview request for the same story but at the time issued a statement through Youngkin's press office defending his arrangement. 'I am on leave from all companies and as a result do not have clients with business before the governor or state government,' Moran said. 'I formalized this arrangement with counsel's office and I am fully committed to my service to the governor and the people of Virginia. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the governor and work on behalf of the commonwealth.' His statement did not explain why he chose to forgo a state salary. Now, however, political observers say Moran's continued presence could be politically fatal — not just in Virginia, but nationally, as Youngkin positions himself for a possible 2028 White House run. David Richards, a political science professor at the University of Lynchburg, said the scandal 'has done tremendous damage' to Youngkin and the GOP in Virginia. 'It reveals a real limit to Youngkin's power in the state GOP and has exposed an ugly underbelly of the Republican party here,' Richards said. 'Someone in Youngkin's circle will have to take the fall. It does not look like Reid will bow out.' Richards also noted the ongoing silence from Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor, who has yet to comment publicly on the controversy engulfing her running mate. 'Her response so far raises a lot of questions about her ability to lead and make tough choices,' Richards said. As of Tuesday afternoon, Youngkin, Earle-Sears, and Spirit of Virginia continued to dodge public comment. Reid, meanwhile, remains defiant and shows no sign of abandoning the ticket. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia GOP confirms Lt. Gov. will be sole nominee for governor's race in primary
The Republican Party in Virginia confirmed on Saturday that the commonwealth's lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, will be the party's primary nominee in the 2025 gubernatorial race. The announcement comes after no other GOP candidates qualified to appear on the ballot for the primary election, which will be held on June 17. As of Thursday night, hours after the filing deadline, it was unclear whether former state Sen. Amanda Chase (R), who termed herself 'Trump in heels,' would qualify for the ballot. Chase said early Thursday that she filed her paperwork to run but that her team did not have time to count and verify that she had the necessary number of signatures to qualify for the ballot. Virginia's governor, Glenn Youngkin (R), is ineligible to run for governor in November since Virginia bars governors from seeking consecutive terms in office. 'The Republican Party of Virginia congratulates Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on becoming the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia. As the sole candidate to qualify for the Republican primary ballot on June 17th, Sears will be the Republican Party's nominee for Governor on the November 4th ballot,' the party said in a statement, touting her as 'an unwavering partner' of the governor's over the past four years. 'Winsome Sears will be a governor for all Virginians, and the Republican Party of Virginia congratulates her on becoming our nominee,' the party added. Earle-Sears, who has secured Youngkin's endorsement, said in a statement Saturday that she's 'proud' to be the nominee. 'We've made great progress over the past four years, but the fight for our Commonwealth is far from over,' she wrote on X. 'I'm ready to lead that fight and build a safer, stronger, more prosperous Virginia for every family.' The announcement sets up a two-way battle in November. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) is the sole candidate on the Democratic side, after no Democratic candidate ultimately filed the paperwork to run against her in June. The race for lieutenant governor, however, is crowded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
06-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Virginia GOP confirms Lt. Gov. will be sole nominee for governor's race in primary
The Republican Party in Virginia confirmed on Saturday that the commonwealth's lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, will be the party's primary nominee in the 2025 gubernatorial race. The announcement comes after no other GOP candidates qualified to appear on the ballot for the primary election, which will be held on June 17. As of Thursday night, hours after the filing deadline, it was unclear whether former state Sen. Amanda Chase (R), who termed herself 'Trump in heels,' would qualify for the ballot. Chase said early Thursday that she filed her paperwork to run but that her team did not have time to count and verify that she had the necessary number of signatures to qualify for the ballot. Virginia's governor, Glenn Youngkin (R), is ineligible to run for governor in November since Virginia bars governors from seeking consecutive terms in office. 'The Republican Party of Virginia congratulates Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on becoming the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia. As the sole candidate to qualify for the Republican primary ballot on June 17th, Sears will be the Republican Party's nominee for Governor on the November 4th ballot,' the party said in a statement, touting her as 'an unwavering partner' of the governor's over the past four years. 'Winsome Sears will be a governor for all Virginians, and the Republican Party of Virginia congratulates her on becoming our nominee,' the party added. Earle-Sears, who has secured Youngkin's endorsement, said in a statement Saturday that she's 'proud' to be the nominee. 'We've made great progress over the past four years, but the fight for our Commonwealth is far from over,' she wrote on X. 'I'm ready to lead that fight and build a safer, stronger, more prosperous Virginia for every family.' The announcement sets up a two-way battle in November. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) is the sole candidate on the Democratic side, after no Democratic candidate ultimately filed the paperwork to run against her in June. The race for lieutenant governor, however, is crowded.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia's bellwether governor race is set
The race for Virginia governor is set, teeing up what is expected to be a competitive contest in the blue-leaning swing state. The Virginia GOP announced Saturday that Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Marine Corps veteran, will be the Republican Party's nominee after no other candidate qualified to run. Like all Virginia governors, outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is barred from serving back-to-back terms, and he endorsed Earle-Sears as his successor early in the process. 'Over the past four years, Lt. Gov. Sears has been a fierce advocate for Virginians' individual liberties and worked hard to put money back into the pockets of Virginia families,' the announcement on X said. 'Winsome Sears will be a governor for all Virginians, and the Republican Party of Virginia congratulates her on becoming our nominee.' That sets up Earle-Sears to go up against the Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger, who was also the lone candidate to qualify on her side. The former member of Congress and one-time CIA officer was confirmed by the Democratic Party of Virginia earlier this week. The contest all-but-guarantees that Virginia will elect its first female governor in history. Should Earle-Sears win, she would be the first Black woman elected governor anywhere in America. Another Republican hopeful — the self-proclaimed 'Trump in heels,' former state Sen. Amanda Chase — had submitted paperwork to run, but it was unclear at the time if she met the qualifications. The announcement from the Virginia GOP confirmed Earle-Sears as the lone candidate to qualify for the Republican primary. Chase had ran against Youngkin — then a little-known private equity exec — in the 2021 GOP primary convention, finishing third. The off-year contest has long been seen as an early bellwether for the party in power in Washington, along with the other gubernatorial race this year in New Jersey. Historically, the party that loses the presidential race the year before almost always wins in Richmond. But President Donald Trump made unexpected inroads with the state in 2024, though the state ultimately went for former Vice President Kamala Harris. Youngkin was elected four years ago in an upset over former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who was attempting a rarely-tried comeback in the state. Youngkin kept Trump at arm's length during his election in 2021, and repeatedly teased a presidential run in 2024. But since the start of Trump's second term, he has been a reliable ally for the president. 'I'm proud to officially be the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia,' Earle-Sears wrote on X. 'We've made great progress over the past four years, but the fight for our Commonwealth is far from over. I'm ready to lead that fight and build a safer, stronger, more prosperous Virginia for every family.'
