'But he's Jewish': Opponent questions Mandel's faith in Ohio Senate primary debate

[brooklynite]

Politico

A Republican Senate candidate in Ohio is doubling down on a controversial campaign ad, insisting voters need to be aware of an important fact: that the frontrunner in the primary is Jewish.

Mark Pukita, an IT entrepreneur in the crowded GOP race, during a Thursday night candidate forum defended a campaign ad that questioned the faith of opponent Josh Mandel.

A moderator at the debate, held by the Ohio Press Network at North Columbus Baptist Church, asked for Pukita to respond to claims that he is “antisemitic and intentionally divisive and inflammatory.”

"In terms of antisemitism, all I did in an ad was pointed out that Josh is going around saying he's got the Bible in one hand and the constitution in the other. But he's Jewish,” Pukita said. “Everybody should know that though, right?"

[keithbvadu2]

1. Josh Mandel has other detractors

https://crooksandliars.com/2021/11/josh-mandel-jenna-ellis

Brent Larkin, the dean of Ohio political writers, described Josh Mandel as a “bottom feeder” of “unsurpassed intellectual dishonesty,” for whom “no gutter is too deep, no shot too cheap.”
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https://www.google.com/search?q=mandel&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com

[dalton99a]

2. His own family can't stand him:

https://forward.com/opinion/476075/josh-mandel-wants-to-be-the-next-marjorie-taylor-greene-hes-obscuring-his/

Josh Mandel wants to be the next Marjorie Taylor Greene. He’s obscuring his Jewishness to do it.
Max Littman
September 28, 2021

Josh Mandel, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Ohio, is an awful amalgam of Trumpism, neo-fascism and faux-nationalism all wrapped in one spiteful 5-foot-8-inch bundle. His own family can’t stand him.

Most of that is just boiler-plate Republican politics at the moment. Sure, Mandel wants to be a clone of Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, because he clearly thinks that will get him elected. And part of that process, for him, appears to involve refusing to acknowledge his Jewishness. No one should be forced to talk about their religion on the campaign trail. But what is upsetting about Mandel is that he lies and obfuscates about his religion in an attempt to appeal to hyper-conservative voters who more than likely wouldn’t be comfortable knowing that he does not believe in Jesus.

The American evangelicals that Mandel is courting flatly refuse to deny their antisemitism. They tend, instead, to deflect any such accusation by touting their support for Israel. But that conflation of American Jewry and Israel is itself antisemitic: I do not live in Israel, I’ve never lived in Israel, and supporting a country far away from me because Jews also live there does not mean you support Jews.

This is where Josh Mandel comes in. He’s willing to openly support Israel based on religious grounds, to appeal to evangelicals, but every other acknowledgment of his Jewishness is a step too far for him. Once you notice this in his speeches and tweets it’s hard to stop noticing it.

[Polybius]

3. Normally I'd agree with you 100%

But in this case with Mandell holding up a Bible, it's not terrible to point out that he's faking being Christian.

[dalton99a]

5. +1

[keithbvadu2]

9. Which God, Josh? The single God or the three-part God?

Which God, Josh? The single God or the three-part God?

[dalton99a]

10. Which one, indeed

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

12. Note that there are no POC in the picture.

Easy to see where Mandel's priorities are.

Speaking of the Constitution, Mandel wants to forget about that inconvenient part about separation of church and state. There are religious schools available for those who want to include religion as part of the education curriculum.

This picture looks like something from the 1950s. I guess that is what Mandel wants to bring back.

[keithbvadu2]

6. holding up a Bible

[Polybius]

8. Funny how Trump acts like he's a Christian since 2015

Deep down though, he probably isn't.

[Stuart G]

4. PROOF:"WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE SEEN IT ALL, THERE IS ALWAYS..MORE..AND MORE,.AND EVEN MORE!

......One of final sentences on this post.....Stupid, is still "STUPID" AND THIS FELLOW IS INDEED. "STUPID"

...................opps...............I forgot to say this:............Thank You for Posting .......K AND R.........


....................oh my........I forgot another idea.........I must add this one .......................................

Definition of oops: —used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay.........

[question everything]

7. Um.. is Pukita aware that the Bible contains the Old Testament?

What will be next? Using the blood of Christian children for Passover Matzoh?

[The Magistrate]

11. Racist Attacked For Being A Jew, Sir?

I might be able to pencil in two minutes for concern sometime before Christmas, but I can't promise.

Swastikas sprayed on his car and campaign headquarters, even, I would class as rough justice well deserved.

Boy needs to meet the shitheels he wants voting for him.

Fuck this piece of rabid shit,,,,