Ohio Senator Jon Husted has removed a campaign staffer, Stephen B. Woytek, following reports of inappropriate online behavior. Woytek once used a photo of Nazi soldiers as his Facebook profile picture. This photo, now deleted, depicted SS soldiers with captured Soviet banners, as reported by The Washington Post.
Additional concerns arose when it was discovered that Woytek had a public Spotify playlist celebrating Rhodesia, a former white-minority-ruled nation. This has heightened concerns about growing white supremacist views within the Republican Party, especially among younger men.
Woytek worked on Husted’s reelection campaign, but a spokesperson confirmed the senator’s decision to end his involvement after learning about the posts. “Steve serves our country honorably as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and is a proud graduate of The Citadel,” the spokesperson noted. Despite Woytek’s denial of negative intent, his social media activity reflects poor judgment and a disregard for its impact.
Sen. Husted demands better of those who represent him.
Woytek expressed heartbreak over leaving Husted’s campaign. He explained his involvement in historical reenactments for educational purposes and rejected Nazi ideology.
Woytek’s LinkedIn profile indicates he began working as a political director for Husted in August. He has experience in Ohio politics, public policy, and military service, previously serving as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives and working with state representatives in South Carolina and Ohio.
Outside of politics, Woytek is a First Lieutenant in the Ohio Army National Guard. He graduated from The Citadel, the South Carolina military college.
The incident adds to concerns about extremist imagery within Republican campaigns. Similar controversies have recently occurred in other Senate and congressional races.
Jon Husted, Ohio’s junior U.S. senator, is a prominent figure in Republican politics, formerly serving as Ohio lieutenant governor and secretary of state. He is now in a competitive Senate race against Democrat Sherrod Brown, making this staffing issue a significant distraction.