Tuesday is primary day in Virginia, and Democrats are facing a crowded field.
While Abigail Spanberger is already the party’s nominee for governor, six Democrats are competing for lieutenant governor and two for attorney general.
Republicans, meanwhile, do not have any statewide primaries this year. Their nominees have already been set: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, John Reid for lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares for attorney general.
But even during a time when Republicans could be unified without competition, they’re not talking to each other.
They also haven’t been seen standing together as a united ticket.
“I would love to do an event with my ticket mates,” said John Reid, calling it “disappointing” that it hasn’t happened yet.
“I continue to invite them to do that,” Reid told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli. “I just assume that at some point here, hopefully in the near future, everybody will get together.”
It’s been awkward for Virginia Republicans since April, when Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin called on Reid to drop out of the lieutenant governor’s race after opposition researchers claimed they linked Reid to a blog featuring photographs of naked men.
Va. election stories
Reid denied having anything to do with the account, called it “extortion” and said he was being targeted because he’s openly gay.
Since then, the state’s Republican Party has shown signs of fracture.
Reid said he hasn’t spoken with the Republican nominee for governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, in seven weeks.
“They’ve all got my cellphone, and I would love to see them,” Reid said. “I hope that eventually we’ll all be together and they’ll embrace me, because I think we have a winning message.”
“Even in the midst of some really horrible stuff that’s swirled around me, I haven’t canceled anything,” added Reid. “I just keep on going every day, and I will welcome them when I get to see them.”
‘I don’t like being bullied’
Reid said he hasn’t heard from Youngkin since the governor called on him to exit the race, adding he’s “OK with that.”
“This is about ideology and not about the personalities involved,” Reid said. “I just have to stay focused on that.”
Still, Reid acknowledged that he thought Youngkin’s move “did damage” to the state’s Republican Party.
“I’m mad about what happened to me,” Reid said. “I don’t like being bullied. I don’t like being threatened. I don’t appreciate it at all, and I think it was wrong. But I’m a mature adult, so I’m capable of putting all of that aside.”
On the Democratic side, candidates for lieutenant governor include state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi of Richmond and Aaron Rouse of Virginia Beach, Prince William County School Board Chairman Babur Lateef, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and former federal attorneys Alex Bastani and Victor Salgado.
In the race for attorney general, former state Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor are vying for the Democratic nomination.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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