A longtime staffer for Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) is stepping down from the governor’s political action committee after becoming the center of a controversy involving the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Virginia.
Matt Moran has stepped down from his role as executive director of Spirit of Virginia, per multiple reports. The Washington Examiner reached out to Spirit of Virginia for comment on the report.
Moran’s exit from the PAC comes after John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, reportedly sent him a cease-and-desist letter claiming that he had made “false and defamatory statements” about Reid.
Reid also said Moran was the one who provided Youngkin with the allegations that Reid had a Tumblr featuring sexually explicit images of men on it, which reportedly led the governor to call Reid and ask him to step down from the GOP ticket. Reid, who is openly gay, has denied the allegations and claimed he is being targeted for his sexuality.
Moran released an affidavit after the letter was sent claiming that he has “never attacked” Reid and “did not threaten or coerce him.” “I communicated what I truly believed was in his best interests.”
The Virginia GOP, seemingly wanting to move past the episode, released a statement Thursday afternoon seeking to shift the focus of the 2025 campaign back to the race itself and claiming to be a united front.
“Ahead of crucial elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and the House of Delegates, the Republican Party of Virginia is committed to uniting behind our Republican nominees and WINNING on November 4,” the statement reads. “All the attention in this race should be on the extremism of Virginia Democrats and their far-left vision for our Commonwealth.”
VIRGINIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATE FIRES BACK AFTER YOUNGKIN CALLS FOR HIM TO STEP DOWN
“Our focus remains on the future, and we will dedicate every effort to supporting our nominees and making the case for why Virginians need more common-sense conservative leadership,” the statement continues.
The GOP nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general are Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA), Reid, and incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, respectively. Youngkin is term-limited, as Virginia law prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms.