The campaign of Senator Jon Husted, Republican of Ohio, said that it had fired its political director after learning that he once posted a photo of Nazi soldiers as his profile picture on Facebook.
The political director, Stephen B. Woytek, 25, was named in August to his role working for Mr. Husted, who is running in one of a handful of competitive races that could determine control of the Senate in November. Amy Natoce, a spokeswoman for the Husted campaign, said in a statement on Friday that Mr. Woytek’s social media use showed a “complete lack” of judgment and a “disregard for its impact on others.” She added that “upon learning about” Mr. Woytek’s “social media posts” on Friday, Mr. Husted “made the immediate decision to part ways.”
The Washington Post first reported on Friday that Mr. Woytek in 2018 used a photo of SS soldiers as his Facebook profile picture. Ms. Natoce confirmed Saturday that her statement referred to that photo. The Post also reported that Mr. Woytek recently added to a public playlist of songs on Spotify celebrating Rhodesia, the white-minority-ruled African colony that became Zimbabwe and has been frequently celebrated by white-supremacist groups.
The New York Times has not independently confirmed that social media activity. The Post reported that after it contacted Mr. Husted’s campaign, the campaign said it was parting ways with Mr. Woytek.
Mr. Woytek did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement to The Post, he said that he participated in historical re-enactments and should have “exercised better judgment when posting about my activities online.” He said he rejected “the racist and antisemitic ideology the SS and Nazi Germany represented.”
Some of Mr. Woytek’s social media accounts and posts appeared to be set as private or deleted as of Saturday morning.
Ms. Natoce said in her statement that Mr. Woytek, a graduate of the Citadel, “serves our country honorably as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army” and “studies military history and routinely reenacts historical battles.” She said Mr. Woytek “denies negative intent.”
In 2018, Mr. Woytek featured a photo of SS soldiers holding captured Soviet banners as his profile picture on Facebook, The Post reported.
Mr. Woytek also participated in Civil War re-enactments as a Union soldier, according to Mr. Husted’s campaign.
Ms. Natoce did not respond to inquiries about the campaign’s initial vetting of Mr. Woytek and whether it examined his social media history.
“You have our statement,” Ms. Natoce said in a text message. “That’s all I will be saying on the matter.”
Mr. Husted faces a challenge from former Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who lost his seat in 2024.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Brown, Lauren Chou, criticized Mr. Husted over the episode. “They say you are the company you keep,” Ms. Chou said in a statement, adding that “Ohioans deserve a leader who reflects their values.”
Mr. Husted and Mr. Brown are competing to serve the remainder of Vice President JD Vance’s Senate term, which ends after 2028. Mr. Husted was appointed in early 2025 to replace Mr. Vance.
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