GOP candidate mocked trans women online as the internet dug up photo of him in bra and wig / LGBTQ Nation

Ohio Republican Josh Mandel may not like transgender women, but he has no problem dragging.Photo: Composite

Republican Josh Mandel keeps obsessing over transgender people and pronouns. The eternal candidate and former state treasurer made this two of his main campaign stakes.

This time around, he decided to belittle trans women with an insult while also touting Dave Chappelle’s controversial Netflix comedy special and the spinoffs that followed.

Related: Lauren Boebert Says Inclusion of LGBTQ Parents Is Plot to ‘Get Rid of Parents All Together’

“I just watched the Chappelle special,” he tweeted. “It was hilarious and offensive to everyone – like comedy should be. Alleviate the trances [sic] – Chappelle is the GOAT.

The internet being what it is, responses to his tweet were lively, but user Robert Schmad went further.

“Trans icon Josh Mandel,” he tweeted in response with a picture of Mandel in drag wearing a padded sports bra and wig.

The homophobic candidate is pictured rubbing the back of another student in the weight room. The photo comes from the Mandel high school yearbook.

Our sister site, Queerty, reports that the photo first surfaced in 2012 “When Mandel was Ohio State Treasurer and GOP candidate for the US Senate. At the time, his communications director said the candidate didn’t remember taking the photo, but was probably just ‘kidding’.

Earlier this month, Mandel – who has already been denounced by his own family for rejecting his lesbian and veteran cousin – was kicked out of a school board meeting by sheriff’s officers on Monday when he picked up the microphone to rant against transgender children in schools… in a school district he doesn’t even live in.