The chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, Mark Peake, says the governor did not consult with him before asking LG candidate John Reid to step aside after pornographic gay images were found on a Tumblr account using the screen name Reid uses on the internet. The account became active in 2014, long before anyone knew Reid would run for office in 2025. Reid denies he posted the images.
From WTOP.com:
“I had no discussion whatsoever with the governor or his staff about that decision, or to make that decision,” said Peake, who represents Bedford County, Campbell County and Lynchburg City in Virginia’s 22nd Senate District…
“I wish everybody would contact me before they do anything, but lawyers, politicians, everyone should contact me before they make any major decisions. But that is not the way of the world, and that’s just how it is,” Peake said regarding Youngkin’s decision not to consult him before calling on Reid to withdraw…
“I think a private conversation about that issue was completely appropriate,” Peake said. “I think the unfortunate thing here is that these images were given to the press at about the same time as the request was made to John to step down or to at least discuss those images.”
Chairman Peake does not know where Youngkin and Reid’s relationship currently stands but believes the Party would benefit from a public reconciliation.
“As Republican Party of Virginia chairman, it’s my job to do everything that I can to give our ticket the best chance of success, and I will do that,” Peake said.
More at the WTOP link above.
4 comments
How right you are, Jeanine. Mr. Peake may regret becoming the head of a broken organization that has betrayed us and handed over our state to democrats.
If, as you say Chairman Peake, your job is “to do everything that I can to give our ticket the best chance of success,” you have failed, sir. By not recruiting decent candidate(s) for Lt. Governor, our GOP ticket will undoubtedly suffer this Fall.
Not quite. Peake was being artful in his response.
Listening closely to Peake’s answer, he carefully responded to the exact question, which was did he speak with Youngkin about making the call to Reid. He said “no”.
Peake did not say whether he spoke to Youngkin or his staff after learning of the existence of material on Reid. Peake only said he didn’t talk to Youngkin about making the call to Reid.
From Reid’s video and audio with Moran, it appears that material on Reid came to light a couple weeks beforehand. Its quite likely Peake, as RPV chairman would have been alerted at the time.
I don’t know about that, Tony. It sounds like Peake is not happy he wasn’t consulted. Losses in the fall will be on his head as well as Youngkin’s.