Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted's reelection campaign is severing ties with its political director after a Washington Post investigation surfaced years of social media activity centered on Nazi Germany and the white-minority-ruled former Rhodesia.

According to the Washington Post's reporting, staffer Stephen Woytek used a photo of Nazi SS soldiers as a Facebook profile picture and maintained a public Spotify playlist titled "Tales From Rhodesia," described in its own text as being "homesick for a place that no longer exists." Songs were added to the playlist as recently as last month.

The Evidence

Photos linked to a historical reenactment group appear to show Woytek, then 16 years old, dressed in an SS uniform during a 2018 event. Reenactment activity of that kind is not automatically illegal or, on its own, evidence of ideology — but combined with the years-spanning Rhodesia playlist and his current role steering messaging for a sitting US senator's campaign, the findings prompted swift action.

HOMESICK FOR A PLACE THAT NO LONGER EXISTS

Rhodesia was the white-minority-ruled predecessor state to Zimbabwe, governed under apartheid-style rule until a 1980 transition to Black-majority rule following a guerrilla war; nostalgia for the former state is a recurring marker tracked by extremism researchers on the far right.

Campaign Response

After being contacted by the Post for comment, Husted's campaign said it would part ways with Woytek, according to The Hill's follow-up reporting. Woytek has denied embracing Nazi ideology, telling reporters his participation in historical reenactments is intended to educate younger generations about the era rather than glorify it.

Local Columbus coverage noted the departure marks the second staff exit from Husted's campaign in two months, though the campaign has not detailed the circumstances of the earlier departure.

What's Next

Husted, appointed to the Senate in 2025 and now running to hold the seat in November's midterms, faces a competitive Ohio race that national Democrats have targeted as part of their push to flip the chamber. The episode adds an unwelcome distraction days into the sprint toward Election Day, and opposition researchers on both sides of the aisle are likely to keep digging into campaign staff social media histories as the race tightens.