Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, has “parted ways” with his campaign’s political director after learning that the aide had used an image of Nazi SS soldiers as his Facebook profile picture.
Stephen B. Woytek, 25, posted the image in 2018, according to The Washington Post. He also reportedly participated in a World War II re-enactment, dressed as an SS soldier.
Woytek told the Post that he participates in reenactments for educational purposes and should have “exercised better judgment when posting about my activities online.” He said that he rejects “the racist and antisemitic ideology the SS and Nazi Germany represented.”
Husted’s campaign hired Woytek as political director in August. Husted’s spokeswoman stated that while Woytek denied negative intent, his social-media activity “displays a complete lack of judgment and disregard for its impact on others.”
Husted was appointed to the Senate in January 2025 to replace U.S. Vice President JD Vance and is seeking election to the seat in November. He faces former Democratic Ohio senator Sherrod Brown.
