As Virginia’s election draws near, one issue could determine the state’s economic direction for decades to come — and few are talking about it.
Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor John Reid joined Breaking Battlegrounds to sound the alarm about what he calls a looming threat to Virginia’s prosperity: the potential repeal of the state’s Right to Work law.
Right to Work laws protect employees from being forced to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. For decades, Virginia’s policy has helped attract companies and jobs — making it a standout among East Coast states for economic opportunity and business growth.
But Reid warns that could all change.
“We’re the northernmost state on the eastern seaboard that has the right to work,” Reid explains. “If everybody around you wants to join a union, that’s your business. I’m not here to tell you what to do. But if you don’t want to join, you should have that right. And in Virginia, you do.”
According to Reid, Democrats in the state have pledged to repeal the law — a move he says would devastate Virginia’s economy and hurt working families.
“If we get rid of the right to work, all of that goes away,” he said. “That’s been the magic reason that governors like Glenn Youngkin, George Allen, Bob McDonnell, Jim Gilmore — and even Democrat governors — have agreed: don’t touch Right to Work. That’s how we get companies to come to Virginia.”
Reid’s argument isn’t just about policy — it’s about freedom of choice and preserving the state’s reputation as a place where workers and businesses can thrive without coercion.
“You have the right not to have those union dues taken out of your paycheck every two weeks,” Reid continued. “You have the right not to sit down for a meeting with a union boss from New Jersey trying to take over your company.”
As he sees it, eliminating Right to Work wouldn’t just change the labor landscape — it would fundamentally alter the state’s economic ecosystem, stifling growth and driving businesses elsewhere.
“That’ll kill the economic ecosystem of Virginia,” Reid warned. “That’ll hurt workers. That’ll hurt the state economically. And for some reason, these economically illiterate social justice warriors like Ghazala Hashmi either refuse to accept it or really don’t care.”
With less than a week before Virginia voters head to the polls, Reid’s message is clear: this election isn’t just about politics — it’s about preserving the principles that built Virginia’s economy and ensuring freedom in the workplace for the next generation.
Transcript
**Chuck Warren: **We’ve got about two minutes left in this segment. What are a couple differences between you and her besides those you’ve mentioned, like on economic policy and taxes?
**John Reid: **Well, there’s a very huge issue that’s coming up and a lot of people aren’t paying attention to it. It’s called the right to work. Here in Virginia, we’re the northernmost state on the eastern seaboard that has the right to work. That means if everybody around you wants to join a union, which is your business, not my business, I’m not here to tell you what to do. That’s a common theme for me. I’m not here to tell you what to do. You can join the union. But if you’re one of the people who doesn’t want to join the union in Virginia, you have the right not to join the union.
You have the right not to have those union dues taken out of your paycheck every two weeks. You have the right not to sit down for a meeting with the union boss from New Jersey who is going to try to take over your company. If we get rid of the right to work, all of that goes away. And that is bad for the employee. But what’s more important for everybody to understand is that’s been the magic reason that governors like Glenn Young and George Allen
Bob McDonald, Jim Gilmore, all of the great Republican governors, and the Democrat governors used to agree, don’t touch Right to Work. That’s how we get companies to come to Virginia. That’s how we get them to open a regional distribution center with 500 employees. Is the right to work being a part of the law in Virginia? And the Democrats have promised to do away with it. I mean, there’s no ambiguity. I’m not making that up. That is what they plan to do.
That’ll kill the economic ecosystem of Virginia. That’ll hurt workers. It’ll hurt the state economically. And for some reason, these economic illiterate social justice warriors like Ghazala Hashmi either refuse to accept it really don’t care.
Chuck Warren: I don’t think they care. with John Reid. He’s Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in Virginia. You can follow him on X at John Reid, R-E-I-D, fourth, number four, V-A. We’ll be right back for another segment with John. This is Breaking Battlegrounds.
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