Three years after his last failed Senate bid, former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel has announced that he will seek the Republican nomination to replace retiring Senator Rob Portman next year.
In a statement issued today, Mandel said he was inspired to run after watching the “sham and unconstitutional impeachment” of Donald Trump this week.
“I’ve heard loud and clear from my fellow Ohioans that we need a warrior that won’t quiver in their boots when it comes to standing up for conservative values,” Mandel said, implying that he is that much-needed warrior.
Like Trump, 43-year-old Mandel has a record of cozying up to bigots, particularly alleged white nationalists and Nazi aficionados.
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In 2017, he attacked the Anti-Defamation League for listing alt-right commentators Jack Posobiec and Mike Cernovich in a report about hateful extremists.
In a since-deleted tweet, Mandel wrote, “Sad to see @ADL_National become a partisan witchhunt group targeting people for political beliefs. I stand with @Cernovich & @JackPosobiec.”
In 2011, he refused to return a $1000 campaign donation from a longtime Nazi reenactor, calling the whole thing a “manufactured nonissue.” Adding a layer of weirdness to the matter is the fact that Mandel himself is Jewish.
Then there was the time in 2012 when nine of his family members took out an ad in their local newspaper blasting Mandel for his antigay views, which include opposing same-sex marriage, voting against extending employment non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ people, and supporting the reinstatement of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Adding yet another layer of weirdness to the matter is the fact that Mandel himself has two gay cousins, one of whom served in the military.
Mandel previously ran for Senate in 2012, but lost handily to Sen. Sherrod Brown. He tried again in 2018, but dropped out, citing family health concerns.
While he is the first Republican to jump into the state’s open Senate race to replace Portman, it is expected to quickly become a crowded field.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Hdtex
Honey, your “friends” want to toss you into the ovens. I for one, would laugh with glee.
Harley
Jews for Hitler. He probably has a very active GRINDR account as well.
barryaksarben
Self haters are so hard to understand. How do they not see what is right in the mirror. Shows just how strange the mind can be
Cam
Why should Evangelicals, Mormons, and Catholics get to have all the fun of being psycho self hating Neo Nazis?
Rick
You, Josh Mandel, should NEVER EVER BE ALLOWED to be elected for any office other than, maybe dog catcher. As a Jew as well, I am disgusted that we are I the same religion. Have you read the Torah at all? All that hate in your heart for people you don’t even know and you take money too from Nazi enthusiasts, what is wrong with you?
You must start praying for your soul. Maybe you need to talk to the rabbi’s.
dkimmel
He’s a shandeh.
Essie
I’m in Ohio and it is as red as red can be but I truly cannot believe citizens of Ohio will elect this man to the Senate. I will have to wait and see who the Repubs put forth but I know there are better people than this hater who want to run for Portman’s seat. I’m a Dem but I voted for Portman because he’s a good man and deciding not to run again proves that fact. The Repubs have gotten too awful for him to even associate with.
blackhook
Not every Ohio resident is a shameless, hateful, bigoted, racist, homophobic, misogynist & xenophobic Trumpanzee — but a majority clearly is, as Ohioans voted en masse for Traitor Trump. Sad! Next time I visit, I will be crying into my Jumbo 5-Way!
Mehki
I’ve only lived in blue states (4) and that includes (temporarily) blue Georgia,
I can’t imagine…
wikidBSTN
Donald Trump was the Pied Piper enticing nutjobs and haters to come out from under their rocks to support him. But it was only to support himself, TRUMP. No one else – no other cause. Worms like this guy are on their own.
Openminded
You hit it on the nail about Trump. I can’t figure out why so many people are so enamored with the guy. It isn’t about promoting the conservative party, it’s all about HIM, and many of them will tell you that straight up.
cuteguy
A self hating jew who supports Nazis? That sounds like a self hating gay supporting homophobic Retrumplicans. Look how well it worked out for Aaron Schmuck
Cozmo2
Another hater
Scribe38
Couldn’t wait to graduate college to get the heck out of Ohio, not that Michigan is much better
darkanser
For a brief moment, I had blissfully forgotten that people the likes of Stephen Miller existed.
Man About Town
Were he and Stephen Miller separated at birth?
BaltoSteve
Why is it I get the feeling his GRINDR profile says “No fats, no fems, no Asians, it’s just a preference.”? Seriously, he has repeatedly shit on his ancestors. I suppose we should be glad he can’t procreate.
joeboyle49
WELL ANOTHER HATER WHO WANTS TO GET IN OFFICE? I JUST HOPE HIS FMAILY HELPS KEEP HIM OUT OF OFFICE!!
Heywood Jablowme
“In 2011, he refused to return a $1000 campaign donation from a longtime Nazi reenactor, calling the whole thing a ‘manufactured nonissue.'”
I don’t know what a “Nazi reenactor” actually reenacts – and I’m not sure I want to know! – but I’m guessing in this case Josh did some kind of gay sexual role play? For $1000, yikes.
Tombear
How long before the Trump cultists disappear?
ShiningSex
GROSS
Invader7
Per Karl Rove : Trump is toast and won’t /can’t run for office in 2024.Cause he opponents will use all of his crazy crap including inciting insurrection on 6 Jan 2021 !!! And Miss Thang Mandell NEEDS to see a really good shrink. STAT. He is seriously PHUCKED up !!