Husted Fires Political Director Over Nazi Imagery

Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted fired political director Stephen Woytek after reports revealed that Woytek had used Nazi SS imagery as a Facebook profile image, participated in military reenactments involving Nazi portrayals and maintained a public playlist celebrating Rhodesia, the former white-minority-ruled state now known as Zimbabwe. Woytek said he rejects Nazi and racist ideology, described the activity as connected to historical education and reenactment, and acknowledged that he should have exercised better judgment. Husted’s campaign said the activity showed poor judgment and disregard for its impact, raising questions about how thoroughly it vetted Woytek before hiring him in August; those concerns follow the resignation of another campaign figure after reporters uncovered undisclosed criminal history. Separately, in North Carolina’s Senate race, Republican nominee Michael Whatley faced criticism after convicted child sex offender Daimon L. King was invited to pray at a campaign event organized by a county Republican group. Whatley’s campaign blamed the local party, but the incident added scrutiny of Whatley’s past association with and promotion of King while he led the state Republican Party.