During an interview with Republican congressional candidate Leon Benjamin, MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart grilled the Navy veteran and pastor over a homophobic Facebook post that he wrote 12 years ago.
Benjamin, who is running against Democrat Jennifer McClellan in a special election in Virginia, wrote a Facebook post in January 2011 promoting a service at New Life Harvest Church, where he serves as pastor. In it, he encouraged parishioners to bring their “sick, disease [sic], gay, homosexual, lesbian, transvestite, bipolar, alcoholic, drug addiction friends and loved ones.”
“You started this conversation by saying you were ‘running to be a bridge.’ You used the word unity,” Capehart said after reading the post back to Benjamin. “How is that being a bridge? How is that being a unifier for the fourth congressional district of Virginia that most likely has LGBTQ people in that district?”
Benjamin said that Capehart was looking at his words “in a different way” and insisted that he does not seek to “marginalize” LGBTQ individuals.
“I don’t think we should marginalize one group of people and use it for political gain,” he continued. “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 … I don’t think my opponent has compassion for all people.”
“As an out, gay, married man, I have a hard time finding compassion in that 2011 post,” replied Capehart.
“Come to my church, Jonathan. You will be welcome,” Benjamin responded. “I will not push you away. I will not marginalize you. You will be welcomed.”
Benjamin and McClellan’s special election will be held on Feb. 21 to fill the seat held by Democrat A. Donald McEachin, who defeated Benjamin in the midterm elections this past November with 61.6% of the vote but died from cancer less than a month later. McClellan, a Virginia state senator and former gubernatorial candidate, is favored to win the Democrat-leaning district, which includes the state capital of Richmond.
Watch Capehart and Benjamin’s interview in the clip above.