Ohio GOP Senate hopeful Josh Mandel on primary foe criticizing him for being Jewish: 'I was shocked'

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio Josh Mandel said he was "shell-shocked" when GOP primary opponent Mark Pukita criticized him during a debate for being Jewish, calling it "unbelievable."

"I would say some of my strongest and most passionate supporters are Christian activists throughout the state of Ohio," Mandel told the John Solomon Reports podcast on Thursday. "And I'm so proud of that."

"I think my support from Christian activists really got under the skin of one of my opponents, and he started just blurting out anti-Semitic remarks," Mandel recalled. "And, you know, he sort of announced at this debate that 'Josh is a Jew,' which is no secret, [I] talk about it all the time."

His opponent "insulted all of the Christian activists who were in the audience, and who were watching at home," said Mandel.

"I was shocked," he said, adding, "I never heard anyone say something like that, let alone in a debate."

In November, Pukita, was asked by a moderator during an Ohio GOP primary debate about claims that he is "antisemitic and intentionally divisive and inflammatory," Politico reported. 

"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," Pukita responded. "But he's Jewish. Everybody should know that though, right?"

Pukita was referencing a radio ad his campaign created that blasted Mandel for seeking votes from evangelical Christians and often visiting churches for his campaign, the news outlet reported. 

"Are we seriously supposed to believe the most Christian-values Senate candidate is Jewish?" asks a voice actor in Pukita's radio ad. "I am so sick of these phony caricatures."

"I agree," a woman replies. "We keep electing people like this, we'll just keep getting the same terrible results."

Mandel noted on the podcast that Christians and Jews love each other, and that Christianity originated from Judaism. 

"[I]n Genesis 12:3, as most Christians know, we read that God will bless those who bless the nation of Israel, and will curse those who curse the nation of Israel," he said. "And so many of the Christian activists who support me not only understand that in their bones, but they live it, as well."

During the debate, another Republican candidate, Bernie Moreno, who spoke next, quickly condemned Pukita's response, according to Politico. 

"Josh, nobody should question your faith," Moreno said. "That's not right. The Jewish religion, the Bible is the Bible. That was hard to hear. I'm sorry about that. That's not right. We're better than that, guys."

In October, the Center for Christian Virtue cut Pukita out from their forum after they determined his radio ad was anti-Semitic. Pukita's campaign said in a statement at the time that the claim was "ridiculous and defamatory."

"Mark Pukita is absolutely, unequivocally, undeniably a complete supporter of religious tolerance and of Israel," Pukita's campaign spokesperson, Robert Gray, wrote in a statement. "He is not a supporter of phonies and panderers."

Pukita's website links to the Politico article, but labels it, "PUKITA QUESTIONS MANDEL (BUT NOT HIS FAITH, HIS FAÇADE)."