We are only a few weeks away from what is shaping up to be a historic election day for the Commonwealth.
10 News anchor Abbie Coleman met with both candidates for lieutenant governor to probe their plans, their priorities, and their paths to history.
She sat down one-on-one with Republican candidate John Reid to talk about his vision for Virginia and why he believes he’s the right person for the job.
You can watch Democratic candidate Ghazala Hashmi’s interview here.
Read the full transcript of her interview with Reid below.
Thank you so much for joining us this morning. I really appreciate your time.
I’m glad to be here. Yeah, I feel like the car could drive itself to Roanoke because I’ve been through Roanoke so many times on the campaign. Of course, my mother was born here and spent part of her childhood here. So Roanoke’s been a part of the Reid family lore for a long time. And I’m honored to be able to come back and see so many people in the context of saving Virginia, being a candidate. Everybody is - even the people who are Democrats - have been really nice to me here, and I’m appreciative of that.
John Reid
Well, we’re very grateful that you took the time to come speak with us today. Your career really has not been centered around politics and public office, really. Talk to me a little bit about your personal background and what led you to run for lieutenant governor.
Yeah, I think it’s the perfect combination, because I’ve been a business person, I was a partner at a major government relations firm, they sent me overseas, I spent time in some really difficult situations doing business deals, working through civil wars, and I saw some things that were eye-opening. I was the Communications Director at the United States Chamber of Commerce. The largest business federation in the world, in Washington, dealing with issues that were going through the Congress, plus I was Communications Director in the U.S. Senate, but then television and radio were also a part of my career for almost 20 years of my professional life. I have not been in the House of Delegates. I have not been in the State Senate. I think most Virginians actually are excited about having someone who has not had to kiss someone’s ring, kiss someone’s butt, or suck up to big donors. Someone who will go to the Capitol with a fresh set of eyes and an open mind, and quite frankly, an open heart, willing to try to find common ground with people who aren’t necessarily going to agree on everything, but try to actually solve these problems.
One of the things I’ve observed as a political commentator, is that a lot of the politicians and the consultants go to Richmond, and they want the problem to continue for another two years. Why? So they can raise money, and so they can use it as a political wedge for the next issue. I think Virginians are tired of that, and that’s why I quit the radio station and said, “If I’m going to offer so many critiques of everybody else, maybe I should step up and try to bring a lifetime of experience to help people in Richmond.” That’s what I’m hoping to do.
John Reid
Now, Virginians are concerned about a lot of key issues this election. If you were elected as lieutenant governor, what are your top priorities that you would address on day one in office?
Yeah, the big problem for everybody, Republican, Democrat, rich, poor - I don’t care who you are - is will we have jobs? You know, I’ve lived in some states, and I’ve been to all 50 states, and I lived in some states where there was a real concern, if you lost your job, you might not be able to find another one. I know in southwest Virginia, unlike Northern Virginia, that’s been a concern for a couple of decades now as the economy has shifted. We need leaders in Richmond who are going to be ambassadors for the state, who are going to try to bring business here. I think Governor Youngkin’s done a good job of that. Governor Allen did. Even some of the Democrat governors were really focused on bringing jobs to Virginia, but when it comes to the General Assembly, you need a leader who thinks like a business person. That’s me. I’m going to tell everybody in the Senate, and everybody in the House, and everybody at that Capitol, if I think they’re about to pass a law or a new rule or regulation that is going to inhibit our ability to bring jobs to Virginia.
This right-to-work issue. I hope people are paying attention. If we lose the right-to-work, if Virginia workers are forced into unions, we’ll be dead in the water here. I mean, these businesses that we have successfully recruited ahead of Tennessee and North Carolina, guess what? They’re going to Tennessee. They’re going to Tennessee. Tennessee doesn’t even have an income tax. They will pick Tennessee. So, you know, people don’t understand. This is a real competition between the states, and Virginia needs people who are thoughtful, business-centric, you know, hopefully caring about workers too, not all about the money, but caring about the people to make this work. And I think I can help achieve that.
Education is a big issue. I think we have really gotten way off track. We’re focused on CRT and DEI and a lot of distracting social issues instead of the fundamentals of, “Can your kid read? Can your kid write? Can your kid do basic math?” Are we educating someone so when they hit 17 or 18 years old and hopefully graduate from high school, whether they go to college or not, they’re prepared to be responsible citizens and take on those responsibilities and be happy about the society they’re in? We’re poisoning the minds of an entire generation of people, making them hate Virginia, making them hate America. I don’t think that’s responsible.
Listen, you know I’m a different type of candidate. I’ve been through the wringer. Some people have not been very nice to me. So, I’m not opposed to telling the whole story of good and bad in Virginia, but the ultimate goal needs to be to create people who love this state, who love America, who will take action to make things better. Not make things worse.
John Reid
Virginia is a very unique state, in the fact that we are so diverse. You can go up to Northern Virginia and it can feel like a completely different state than when you come down here to Southwest Virginia. I know you have a history in Southwest Virginia, how are you going to address the needs of voters right here where we are today?
Well, we want to make sure that you have jobs. I think that’s important, I mean, doesn’t do any good to preserve the beautiful vista if everybody is worried about whether they can pay their mortgage, pay their rent, feed their family. There needs to be a robust economic ecosystem here that is on par with what they have in Northern Virginia. I do think that there is a really unfortunate attitude in Richmond, and let’s be honest, in the political class, that focuses on Northern Virginia because they’ve got more voters, just more numbers, and there’s a heck of a lot of money up there. And so there’s a disrespect that is shown to other parts of the state.
I feel it in Richmond. You know, Richmond’s the state capital, but when I worked up in Washington, they were really, I don’t know that they meant to be rude, but they would say, “Oh, I passed through Richmond.” Oh, well thank you very much. I know what that means, you’re being dismissive of my hometown. And I have heard it throughout my life. When I lived in Manhattan, when I lived in LA, there was a dismissive attitude of people who don’t have lots of cash and who don’t have immediate political power by number. And with me, you’ve got somebody who’s a native Virginian who has respect for everybody. And that’s one reason, when my opponent is not getting in the car every day and driving to see people, I am.
I get up at four or five in the morning every day. I try to get in the car and go to things that no one else would go to. Small groups, 10 people, 20 people. You know what the consultants tell me? “Don’t do it.” I still think Virginians want to see a candidate who’s willing to work, who’s willing to go to a part of the state where there are not a lot of votes and there’s not a lot of money, and will sit and listen and talk to people. I hope that still counts. I think it does, and I think if you study my opponent’s attitude and what she has and has not done during the campaign, and then you look at what I have done every day since January 27, I hope I will have earned people’s confidence and their vote.
John Reid
Healthcare is a huge concern for viewers right here at 10 News. They have written in and told us that this is a concern for them. They are worried about rural hospitals closing. They’re worried about potentially losing their health care coverage. How do you want to address that, so that families don’t fall through the cracks?
Yeah, it’s a real issue. What’s not real are the bogus numbers that are being floated. I mean, it started out at 322,000 Virginians were gonna lose their healthcare, then it was [330,000], I think yesterday somebody used 350,000. Can I tell you, I did this job in Washington, people make this stuff up. They look at anyone who ever touched an aspirin and they go, “Oh, let’s put that in so we blow the number up.” What the president has done and what the members of the Congress have done and I’ve talked to Jen Kiggans, and Morgan [Griffith], and Ben Cline, you know, my Congressman Rob Whittman, I mean I called them and said, “What do we do about this?” They are all very aware of how important these rural hospitals are. They’re aware of the needs of people who are dependent on Medicaid and Medicare. I don’t think if you are actually eligible for those services that you’re going to see those go away.
The President is attempting to make sure that the system doesn’t collapse on itself by getting rid of the fraud and the waste and the abuse. The people that somehow have wound up on the public dole who didn’t have a right to be on the public dole in the first place. You know, I’m a nice person. I like to treat everybody with respect, but I have to tell you, if we are spending millions and millions of dollars on care for illegal immigrants, people that we did not agree to this covenant, that’s a mistake, and the citizens of the country are going to pay the cost of that. So, I think as uncomfortable as it is, we’re doing the right thing by saying, “If you’re here illegally, you’re not going to get the same benefits that you used to.” We’re going to ferret that out.
And for the hospitals, that’s a big deal. It’s not lost on me. If you live two hours away, three hours away from Richmond, and that’s the closest thing you can get to, or maybe the hospital here in Roanoke is the closest thing you get to and it’s still a 90-minute drive and someone has either been run over by a tractor or they’ve had a heart attack. That is terrifying. I think everyone recognizes that we’ve got to make the commitment to try to keep these rural hospitals fully functional. I don’t think there’s any debate about that. There are people who are exploiting it for political reasons, that’s happening, but I think everybody is in agreement that these things, these institutions are so important to people, need to be kept afloat. And I think there’s a way to navigate that. I won’t have direct purview over it as a lieutenant governor on a state level, but you can count on my influence, for what it’s worth, trying to make sure that everybody’s in the safety zone.
John Reid
Abortion, and reproductive rights, are another big concern for our viewers. Where do you stand on that issue? I know there’s a lot coming through the General Assembly about this, or expected to, next session. How would you navigate that?
Well, let me be totally honest with you. I’m in the minority in Virginia. I’m pro-life. I’m in the minority. I know I’m in the minority. Okay. I’m never gonna lie to try to get a vote. And I feel like I owe it to everyone to be honest about how I perceive this issue. It’s been an evolution over my lifetime. I’m 54 years old now, and I’ve had a lot of experiences with a lot different people who’ve gone through really tough situations. The problem we have here, is that the Democrats are pushing an abortion amendment, and the amendment is the most extreme law in the world. Does everybody understand? This is crazy what we’re about to do in Virginia if this thing passes. You will have day-of-birth abortions without any question. Right now it’s three doctors have to sign off, and there has to be some real reason. I mean, we’re not just going to tear up a child who’s about to be born. The amendment would allow this without any questions. One doctor, the abortionist, doing it.
I think as I’ve traveled around the state I’ve talked to a lot of young women who do not agree with me, and I respect where they’re coming from, who are 100% pro-choice. And when I talk about the day of birth abortion element, they wince and say, “Yeah, maybe that’s a little too far.” Well, it is a little too far. And so, what I would like to do, is go to the Capitol and bring some compassion and thought to this [so] we don’t allow the extremes to take over here. The other thing with this abortion amendment, which I think everybody needs to be aware of, is, as it’s written now, as it would go on the ballot now, it takes away parental consent. So, I think even Democrat moms and dads would say, “This is such a big decision.” It’s such an important thing that will probably echo throughout this young woman’s life going forward, that an underage minor who’s about to make that decision must have parental involvement in the decision. And I would hate to see that taken away in the Constitution.
I think it exposes that the Democrats are not in the mainstream on this issue, and it’s really shocking to me. We’ve been discussing and debating this my entire life, for decades, and now we’re at this place. I don’t think most Virginians are there. You can count on me, again, to be someone who will tell you where I am on it. I’m not going to lie, and may not agree with you, but I will try to find the common ground if there’s any way to do it, so that everyone feels heard and respected and we come up with a reasonable circumstance going forward for the people of Virginia. Not a lot of people in the Capitol are willing to do that now, that’s why I want to be there.
John Reid
Parental consent parental rights, especially when it comes to education in transgender students, transgender student athletes, that has been a very hot topic over the last few months. Where do you stand on that topic, and how do you want that to be addressed if you were to be elected?
I’ve been surprised, especially in Northern Virginia. It’s been popped up a little bit in Central Virginia, and perhaps I’ve missed some stories out here, where parents have been completely disrespected when it comes to these issues, how their children who are actually functioning in their authentic, biologically-accurate gender role are being disrespected and mistreated within the school system. That’s a big problem in Northern Virginia. I don’t understand how the mindset of leaders has, in my opinion, become warped where the vast majority of the students are now at the mercy of someone who, with all due respect, even as a gay man, and I hope everybody hears that - I’m very upfront about who I am - I’ve spent 30 years around these issues and people who have been impacted by them, and again, I always want to be respectful of other people, but I have reached a conclusion, that this is not healthy for the society.
I can’t control what other people do with their lives. When you’re 18, I have a lot of friends who’ve done things where I was like, “Wow, what are you doing here?” So, I’m not trying to get into your personal business when you turn 18. I’m pretty libertarian on that stuff. But when it comes to children, we used to all agree that we would protect a child’s innocence as long as we could, not expose them to sexualized material, or unduly engage in this discussion when they’re little. Hold that out as long as we can, and then we wouldn’t let a child make a decision that anybody would say, “Gosh it’s likely that you’ll have a different feeling in another year, or another five years, or when you become an adult.” We need to protect you so that you don’t make a decision that you might regret, and it really might haunt you for the rest of your life. I think somehow, that’s been lost in this discussion. And the leaders are the ones who are failing us.
If we could agree and I think it’s reasonable to say, “I let you do what you want to when you’re 18. It may not be my thing but that’s okay. You’re an adult in a free society.” This is a free country - I think - and that’s what I want to validate. Doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with you, and look at me, there are plenty of people who will probably vote for me this year, who would not live their lives the way I live my life. I respect that. I’m not running to be the pastor of your church. I’m running to be the lieutenant governor, and as lieutenant governor, as governor, as attorney general, your job is to protect everyone’s rights. That is going to be one of the driving forces in every decision and every interaction that I would make at the Capitol if I’m fortunate enough to be there in this role.
John Reid
I want to circle back to the economy. I know we’ve talked a lot about jobs, but a lot of Virginians are feeling the squeeze when it comes to higher prices and inflation. What do you think needs to be done economy-wise so that families don’t have to bear that financial burden?
Yeah, well, I started to feel it when President Biden was in office. It was pretty bad, the inflation. It’s tempered now. I do think a couple of things are happening that are adjusting the economy in the United States. The tariff movement, I think, is going to wind up playing in our favor in the long run. Donald Trump’s not trying to put tariffs on forever. He’s using it as a leverage, which is unnerving in the initial moment but I think it’s going to position us for better international trade. You know, when I was at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we were really advocating for exports and having other countries produce products that we pay for. You can generally get them at a lower price because they don’t pay as much to their workers. I think there’s a recalibration that’s happening where a lot of Americans and Virginians are saying, “Let’s bring these things home, where we can.”
Let’s be honest, if you’re going to buy something for $5 or $20, you’re probably going to buy the $5 product if it’s similar. So we can’t be stupid about it. We’ve got to be understanding of the price component. But there are things that we can be doing domestically that I think will improve the economy, will keep prices stable, which will protect us in the case that we get into another trade war - God forbid - a hot war overseas. I’m kind of worried about that, as somebody who’s lived overseas, I think we’re in perilous times. I think that’s why it’s good that we have strong leaders who will be clear, who will tough, who will be compassionate, but will be looking out for our interest first. And when it comes to lowering certain prices, where the state has negotiating leverage. I think that will be where someone like me, as a lieutenant governor, influencing in legislation and some of the agencies, where the governor will allow me to, whoever that may be, I think that would be something that can help the average person with those costs.
John Reid
I want to talk a little bit about polls. You’ve trailed in polls throughout this race. However, that gap has closed in recent weeks. How do you plan to keep up and keep building momentum and entice voters as we round this final corner?
People are paying attention now. The last poll I had, had me three points ahead of Ghazala Hashmi, which was thrilling, and again, I think that shows that people are noticing that one of us is working really hard every single day, and somebody else is sitting at home in Chesterfield County, not traveling, not doing media interviews, not engaging in a debate. There’s six people running for statewide office. Ghazala Hashmi is the only person who refuses a debate. I’ve said from day one, I would do 10 debates, and that’s a big number, but I was willing to do it all across the state so that people could hear me, they could hear her, we could ask each other questions, reporters could ask us questions, they could be submitted from the public. I’m fine with that. I can answer all those questions, and I can hold my own, and I know why I’m running, and I think people will hear my heart if I get a chance to talk to them. Ghazala Hashmi has been totally AWOL, totally. And even the press conferences that she’s having are hidden behind a secret RSVP.
I mean, I was a TV reporter for 10 years. I’m not sure I ever saw that, where you had to RSVP to even find out where it was, and then they handpick who comes. That seems wrong to me. I don’t think Virginians like that. I don’t think they like somebody who’s going to try to buy a seat with out-of-state money. I don’t think they’d like someone who doesn’t put in the work every day to meet Virginia voters during the election season. Hey, if you’re not willing to do that work now, am I supposed to believe you’ll do it once you win? I don’t think so. And I think when they look at the issues, they’re going to find that John Reid is the person who is reasonable, who’s responsible, who has a mind and a heart to try to be fair to everybody. I’m not saying you’re going to agree with me on everything. My mother doesn’t agree with everything. It’s okay. But you’ve got to have somebody who’s willing to sit down with folks who don’t share the same belief system and come up with common ground. I’ve lived my life that way. Imagine what my life has been like as a Republican, as a gay Republican. I’ve had to navigate people who don’t like me in both parties. And here I am at this moment, able to help Virginia navigate the next decade. And I really hope people will give me that opportunity. I hope I’ve earned their confidence. And as we head towards November 4, I hope that I will earn their vote.
John Reid
If elected, you would make history as the first openly gay man elected to this role. What does that milestone mean for you? I know our viewers like to know our candidates on a personal level, and this is a really personal thing.
It is very personal, and I didn’t lead with it, you know? I mean, I worked in the Senate. I’ve been around public policy my whole life. I hope that if someone examines my record, they’ll say, okay, he’s not just running for that reason. He’s a serious person, and this is part of who he is. But I’m also never gonna lie to someone. And I had consultants who said, “Oh my God, don’t ever bring that up. Never tell anyone.” And I thought, well now, it’s not a secret, and it’s the kind of thing that I should be disingenuous with people about. I am who I am. I’m a Christian. I guess you could debate how good a Christian I am. I’ve had some people tell me right to my face that I’m going to burn in hell for eternity, and I have tried to respond in a Christian way and say, “Well, thank you for sharing. I hope you’ll pray for me. I need that,” and I think most people do. So I just hope that as people examine me as a man, that they will hear that I’m gonna be completely up front about who I am and what I believe. I hope that counts. I’m not a normal politician. I am not trying to deceive you, or just say this to try to win those. In fact, some people say, “You’re too upfront because it’s not what people are used to.” Exactly. I don’t want to be what people were used to, that’s why I’m in this. That’s why quit my job to do this, because I don’t want to like everybody else. I hope that counts.
John Reid
I want to thank you so much for joining us this morning. Is there anything else you want to add that I did not touch on as we near this final month before the election?
I love Virginia. I love being a Virginian. I always come home, even though I’ve lived around the world. I’ve been to 113 countries and all 50 states. I’m excited about the future for Virginia. And you let me know if Ghazala Hashmi wants to have a debate right here in Roanoke, and I will drive right back that very day and do it, because I think the people of Virginia deserve to hear from both of us.
John Reid
Thank you so much.
Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it.
John Reid