Ohio Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) confirmed on Friday that he fired his campaign’s political director, Stephen Woytek, following reports of Woytek’s past social media activity.
Woytek’s posts included a Facebook profile photo featuring SS soldiers from the Nazi military and a public Spotify playlist celebrating Rhodesia, a former white-minority-ruled nation associated with white supremacist groups, according to The Washington Post. Husted’s office stated that Woytek, a lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard, no longer represents his campaign.
Husted’s decision followed an internal review of Woytek’s online presence after the Post reported on the posts. A spokesperson for Husted said in a statement that while Woytek serves honorably in the military and studies military history, his social media activity demonstrated ‘a complete lack of judgement and disregard for its impact on others.’ The statement added that Husted expects higher standards from those representing him.
Woytek, who worked on Husted’s reelection campaign, expressed ‘utter heartbreak’ at leaving the role, according to his statement to the Post. He did not respond to requests for comment from Newsweek via Facebook.
Details of Woytek’s social media activity
The Post reported that Woytek’s Facebook profile photo, which has since been removed, featured soldiers from the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler division, a unit of the Nazi SS. The image was not publicly visible as of Friday. The outlet also noted that Woytek had engaged with accounts tied to military reenactment groups portraying the same SS unit and had participated in historical reenactments while dressed in period uniforms.
Additionally, a Spotify account linked to Woytek’s name and photo contained a playlist celebrating Rhodesia, a country that existed from 1965 to 1979 under white-minority rule. The nation has been venerated by some far-right and white supremacist groups, including those associated with commentator Nick Fuentes, according to the Post.
Husted’s response and campaign stance
Husted’s office confirmed that Woytek was no longer affiliated with the campaign as of Friday. The spokesperson reiterated that while Woytek’s military service and academic pursuits were noted, his social media activity was inconsistent with the standards expected of campaign representatives.
The decision comes amid broader scrutiny of alleged ties to extremist views within the Republican Party, particularly among younger members. Husted’s office did not provide further details on whether additional reviews of campaign staff were underway.
Woytek’s military role as a part-time platoon leader in the Army National Guard and his graduation from The Citadel, a military college, were highlighted in the statement. His participation in historical reenactments was also mentioned, though the spokesperson did not address whether these activities were connected to the controversial posts.