Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate John Reid in Virginia is facing allegations of being connected to a Tumblr account filled with gay pornography. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin requested Reid withdraw his candidacy.
Reid, who is openly gay and married, vehemently denies owning the account, claiming it's an extortion attempt by Youngkin's political operation. He alleges that threats of releasing further damaging information were made unless he withdrew.
The account, 'jrdeux,' shares the same name as Reid's Instagram and Threads handles. His husband has also used the name. The Tumblr account contains explicit material, including images and videos of sexual acts, with posts dating back to 2018 and as recently as March 2024. The account has since been deleted.
Reid is the first openly gay candidate for statewide office in Virginia. His only GOP primary challenger dropped out due to health issues, leaving him uncontested before the November 4, 2025 election. Youngkin, who supports the current Lt. Gov., is term-limited.
Reid has engaged legal counsel to explore options against those he claims are extorting him.