When Smears Become the Ballot: Virginia’s Democrats and Their Campaign of Character Assassination

In a free society, vigorous political debate is not only permissible – it is essential. But what happens when the tactics cross the line from scrutiny to smear? In Virginia today, it’s Republicans like John Reid, the GOP’s candidate for lieutenant governor, who are on the receiving end of a coordinated, relentless campaign of smears – and what’s more disturbing is the apparent complicity or silence of Virginia’s Democratic establishment.

The Reid Smear Campaign

John Reid is no stranger to controversy. He is also the first openly gay candidate for statewide office in Virginia from either party – a historic milestone that has, unfortunately, made him uniquely vulnerable to politically motivated attacks.

In recent months, Virginia Democrats have pointed to an old Tumblr account allegedly tied to Reid, a social media presence said to contain “racist and vile imagery” and associations with white-supremacist and Nazi content. ^WSET They have encouraged these claims on social media, in press releases, and even in legislative forums. ^WSET

Reid insists he is the target of a political dirty trick. He denies any connection to the Tumblr account or the content alleged. ^{The Washington Post} He has also taken the aggressive step of sending a cease-and-desist demand to Gov. Youngkin’s PAC to stop spreading defamatory statements. ^{Virginia Mercury}

It is not enough to call these claims “allegations.” The key fact is this: these assertions have yet to be substantiated. In a normal political environment, the burden of proof would lie with those making charges. Yet Virginia’s Democratic leadership and allied media outlets are treating them as settled fact.

Governor Youngkin publicly called for Reid to drop out of the ticket – a demand made without, as Reid has noted, showing the evidence or affording Reid a chance to respond. ^{The Washington Post} In a stunning turn, a Youngkin adviser and PAC head, Matt Moran, later resigned amid questions over whether he was orchestrating the effort to push Reid aside. ^{Virginia Mercury}

The lesson is clear: smear politics is becoming statecraft. The Reid case isn’t an isolated incident – it symbolizes a new, more aggressive mode of partisan warfare.

The Democrats’ Double Standard on Political Violence

This brings us to a glaring hypocrisy: when Democrats are accused of engaging in or tolerating hateful, threatening rhetoric, their response is, at best, tepid – and at worst, complicit.

Take Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general. In newly surfaced 2022 texts, Jones is shown fantasizing about shooting Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert:

“Three people, two bullets, Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.”
He also threatened violence against Gilbert’s children and spoke of urinating on opponents’ graves.

The backlash was bipartisan – condemnation from Republicans, media, and even some Democrats. Jones has issued an apology and taken “full responsibility” for his words. ^{Washington Post}

But what of Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, or Abigail Spanberger, running for governor? Both issued public statements condemning Jones’s language. Yet neither has demanded a full withdrawal from the ticket, nor confronted the deeper culture of hateful content that their party appears to tacitly tolerate in its ranks.

Where is the moral clarity? Where is the zero-tolerance standard for incitement or the glorification of violence? The silence – or half-measures – from Democratic leadership reveals a troubling calculus: as long as the target is a Republican, harsh rhetoric is tolerable.

The New Radical Left in Virginia

What we are witnessing in Virginia is not simply political discourse running wild. It is a new radical left taking institutional control of the Democratic Party – a coalition that considers smear, character assassination, and tolerance for violent rhetoric acceptable weapons. To them, political opponents are not rivals to debate but enemies to be delegitimized, ostracized, deplatformed.

In the Reid case, they have weaponized the language of racism and extremism without evidence, turning the candidate’s identity – his sexuality – into fodder for character assassination. In the Jones case, they have allowed grotesque fantasies of violence to pass with a shrug: “We condemn, but we move on.”

To those who care about the integrity of politics, this is deeply dangerous.

What Should Be Done – And What Voters Should Demand

1. Demand evidence and accountability. If Democrats or any actors accuse a candidate of ties to extremist content, the full documentation must be made public and adjudicated before being treated as fact. Smear claims should not replace journalism or judicial standards.
2. Insist on uniform standards for violent rhetoric. If a public figure (regardless of party) threatens violence or expresses hatred, that should be career-ending. No half-statements or backstage condemnations suffice.
3. Reject guilt by association tactics. Using loose connections, old accounts, or forged content to smear an opponent should be recognized for what it is: political sabotage, not legitimate debate.
4. Hold party leaders to a higher standard. When Democrat candidates or officials remain silent or soft on these issues, they enable them. Their reputations should suffer the same scrutiny they apply to opponents.
5. Restore civility and the presumption of innocence. Politics doesn’t require turning every election into a crusade. Candidates should be judged by record, ideas, character – not by scandalous insinuation.

Conclusion

John Reid’s story is more than a single campaign skirmish. It is a test for Virginia’s political culture. Will we allow smear and hatred to define our elections? Or will we insist on standards, evidence, and decency – even in a rough and polarizing season?

If Democrats continue to levitate unverified smears while tolerating violent rhetoric from within their own ranks, they will have lost more than an election. They will have surrendered their claim to moral authority in public life – and see the foundation of democratic norms further erode.

Let every voter ask: Who is building with character, and who is tearing it down with lies? Let them remember that character matters – and that no smear cloaked in outrage should become the final word.

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Angela Robinson is a contributor for Direct Line News. She can be reached at Angela.Robinson@mcgopclub.com

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