Daniel Wolfram
The scandal comes just six weeks before a tight Senate race in Ohio.
Ohio Senator Jon Husted fired his political director on Friday after disturbing social media activity came to light.
The aide, 25-year-old Stephen B. Woytek, was tapped in August to run the political agenda of Husted’s Republican campaign in the tight race against Democratic nominee Sherrod Brown.
Fired days after The Washington Post exposé
The Washington Post broke the story about Woytek’s racist past online. In 2018, he used a photo of Nazi SS soldiers holding captured Soviet banners as his Facebook profile picture.
Campaign spokeswoman Amy Natoce said the posts showed a “complete lack” of judgment and a “disregard for its impact on others.”
She noted that Husted made the “immediate decision to part ways” with Woytek after the article was released.
A racist playlist
According to The Washington Post, Woytek’s racist past extended into the present. He recently added songs to a public Spotify playlist celebrating Rhodesia, the former white-minority-ruled African colony often praised by white-supremacist groups.
Woytek defended his actions by pointing to his background as a history buff who “studies military history and routinely reenacts historical battles.” In a statement to The Post, he said he should have “exercised better judgment when posting about [his] activities online.”
He stressed that he rejects “the racist and antisemitic ideology the SS and Nazi Germany represented.”
Natoce defended Woytek’s actions by invoking his time as a lieutenant in the US Armed Forces and noting that he “denies negative intent.” She noted he has also reenacted Civil War battles as a Union soldier.
Political fallout
The firing comes at a critical time during a tightly contested Senate race in Ohio. Husted was appointed to take JD Vance’s seat after he became Vice President in early 2025, and he is now in danger of being defeated by former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
According to a recent YouGov poll, Brown is currently leading Husted 48% to 45%. That is a major development as previous polls have all shown Husted in the lead.
Brown’s campaign immediately targeted Husted over his now-ousted racist political director. “They say you are the company you keep,” said Lauren Chou, a spokeswoman for Brown in a statement. She added that “Ohioans deserve a leader who reflects their values.”
By Saturday morning, most of Woytek’s social media accounts had been deleted.
