MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart put Republican House candidate Leon Benjamin on the spot Sunday over a homophobic Facebook post. (Watch below.)
Benjamin, a church pastor running in next month’s Virginia special election to fill the seat of Rep. Donald McEachin, a Democrat who died in November, promoted a church service in 2011 with a post urging people to “Bring you sick, disease, gay, homosexual, lesbian, transvestite, bipolar, alcoholic, drug addiction friends and love ones!!!!!!!!!!”
Capehart flashed a screenshot, then confronted Benjamin for claiming earlier in the interview that he was running “to be a bridge.”
“You used the word unity. How is that being a bridge? How is that being a unifier for the 4th Congressional District of Virginia, that most likely has LGBTQ people in that district?” Capehart asked.
He looked surprised as Benjamin responded: “I think you’re looking at it in a different way.”
He added: “I think the LGBTQ are all facing high gas prices. I don’t think we should marginalize one group of people and use it for political gain. I think that the LGBTQ and the homosexuals are dealing with high gas prices, inflation, the high crime, the education. I think all of us are dealing with issues, and we shouldn’t marginalize them, and I think my compassion really shows strong enough.”
Capehart pressed further.
“As an out, gay, married man, I have a hard time finding compassion in that 2011 post,” Capehart told Benjamin.
Benjamin said he “wouldn’t marginalize” the host.
H/T Mediaite