“She Won’t Talk About It”: John Reid Answers the Question Virginia Needs to Hear That Hashmi Won't
When host Chuck Warren asked Republican lieutenant governor candidate John Reid how his Democratic opponent, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, is responding to criticism for voting to give tuition and licenses to illegal immigrants, Reid’s answer came fast — and hit hard:
“She won’t talk about it. She won’t talk about it. And the press isn’t asking about it.”
That refrain became the defining theme of the conversation — a warning, a frustration, and a rallying cry. Reid says Virginia voters aren’t hearing the truth about the policies reshaping their state because the media won’t ask and Democrats won’t answer.
From there, the interview unfolded into one of the most revealing political exchanges of this campaign cycle.
“No Accountability — and No Questions”
Reid argues that Sen. Hashmi’s record reflects a pattern: controversial votes followed by media silence. He cites her support for licenses and tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants, policies he believes reward lawbreaking and divert resources from Virginians.
According to Reid, the absence of accountability is intentional:
“I’m the one that’s got to spend what little money I have trying to expose that type of corruption.”
He paints a picture of a candidate bolstered by millions in outside funding — “probably over five million dollars, much of it cloaked through D.C. groups” — and a press corps unwilling to press her on it.
For Reid, that silence is as dangerous as the policies themselves.
The Broader Warning: Democrats Want Virginia Back
Reid doesn’t treat this race as an isolated contest. He says Democrats see Virginia as a test state for national momentum, funneling D.C. money through political associations and advocacy groups.
“Republicans had better step up their game here in the last week… this is going to set the tone for the midterms for Congress next year.”
The implication is clear: Virginia’s result will either be a headline of renewed Republican strength — or another setback heading into 2026.
Law and Order: Drawing the Line
Warren pressed further on another key issue: Hashmi’s vote to reduce penalties for assaulting police officers.
Reid didn’t hesitate:
“She is so anti-cop, it’s unbelievable.”
He connected that vote to a broader criminal justice reform bill that recalculated inmates’ sentences — including violent offenders. Reid’s frustration was palpable:
“Since 2020, when Ghazala Hashmi voted for this so-called ‘reform,’ we’ve had 53 Virginians killed by people who were let out early.”
Reid says those numbers are evidence that policies sold as compassion have instead created chaos. He supports rehabilitation for low-level offenders but draws the line at releasing violent criminals early.
“We warned them this was not a good plan… and 53 Virginians didn’t need to be dead.”
The Toll of the Trail
Reid also gave listeners a glimpse into the grind of his campaign:
“I started this campaign on January 27th and I have not taken a day off since. I am tired — but I have to fight for my home state.”
That weariness, he says, is a badge of commitment. For him, the campaign isn’t just political — it’s personal.
Answering the Question — and the Larger One
So, when Chuck Warren asked how Hashmi is responding to criticism, Reid’s answer wasn’t just “she won’t talk about it.” It was a window into his broader message:
Silence is not leadership.
Policy has real-life consequences.
If Virginians don’t act now, the damage may be permanent.
Reid’s warning is that silence, combined with soft-on-crime and immigration leniency, could redefine Virginia’s character for years to come.
Why It Matters
Virginia’s lieutenant governor race isn’t just about who holds the gavel in Richmond. It’s about which vision — transparency and accountability, or ideological loyalty and silence — wins out.
Reid’s appearance on Breaking Battlegrounds distilled that choice for voters across the Commonwealth. Whether his message resonates will soon be decided at the ballot box.
Transcript
Chuck Warren: We’re with John Reid, Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in Virginia. He is running against Liberal Progressive Democrat Senator Hashmi. So she’s done a couple of votes that are amazing. She voted to give tuition and licenses to illegal aliens. How is she responding to the criticism of that?
John Reid: She won’t talk about it. She won’t talk about it. And the press isn’t asking about it. So I’m the one that’s got to spend what little money I have trying to expose that type of corruption. And let me tell you, the Democrats want Virginia back. This one woman has raised $5 million, probably more than that now. And it’s all kind of cloaked from different groups in DC. So we don’t know exactly where it came from. It’s the Lieutenant Governor’s Association, whatever that is.
In DC and Republicans had better step up their game here in the last week, not just in Virginia, but across the country. This is going to set the tone for the midterms for Congress next year. Whatever happens here in Virginia, know the headlines are going to be either trumpeting a success or heralding additional failure. So that’s one reason why as exhausted as I am, because I started this campaign on January 27th and I have not taken a day off since and I am tired but I gotta fight for my home state.
Because if we lose these protections and if we see another round of bad laws come into place it’s gonna be almost impossible to repeal the bad laws and I’d hate to think of what the state would look like if that transpires.
Chuck Warren: Folks, we have John on Zoom, and I’m telling you, if we all look this good being as tired as he is, you’re a lucky person. State Senator Hashmi also voted to reduce penalties for assaulting a police officer. Can you tell us about that?
John Reid: Listen, she is so anti-cop, it’s unbelievable. And again, she won’t talk about it, but if you assault a police officer, there used to be serious consequences. She has systematically joined with the most leftist regime within the state Senate to try to reduce all the penalties. I mean, that’s just one of the things she’s done. One of the other things she did was vote for a bill that would go back and recalculate everybody’s time in jail.
And I was just in the county jail here doing a tour of the drug rehab program. Very interesting, I’ll tell you about it sometime. I want to be open-minded and thoughtful about how we can help people who have made a mistake in life get back on the right path. But what I’m not willing to do is take violent criminals, people who’ve already committed a murder, who’ve already committed a rape, recalibrate their time and put them back out on the street early. And one of the horrible things that has happened just in the last five years, since 2020.
When Ghazala Hashmi voted for this criminal justice reform, which was anything but. We’ve had 53 Virginians killed now by people who were let out early. 53!
Chuck Warren: Now, over what period time? What period time? Over what period?
John Reid: Just in the last five years. In the last five years. I mean, we warn people, this is not a good plan. You know, okay, somebody steals a cell phone. All right, we’ll let them out early. I’m not going to fight with you over that. But no, my God, if you’re committing violent crime and we want violent crime to stop, A, we have to punish the people who do it we have to send a signal to the people who are on the bubble there that we’re not tolerating it. And we messed it up with the Democrat leadership twice now. And now they’re 53 Virginians who didn’t need to be dead who are.
I think there should be political punishment for these people having such bad ideas that they push through even when responsible leaders say stop. Let’s negotiate this. They wouldn’t negotiate a damn thing. They just put it on through.
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