Bethany Mandel, the controversial right-wing pundit, home-schooling advocate, and prolific social media poster, is running for county school board — as a Democrat.

Though the school board race in deep-blue Montgomery County, Maryland, is technically nonpartisan, Mandel’s campaign published a graphic on Tuesday listing her as a Democrat. The move quickly raised eyebrows online, and prompted a community note on X (formerly Twitter) stating, “Bethany Mandel has identified as a Republican numerous times on her personal Twitter account.”

Those who know Mandel recognize her for writing molten-hot takes and far-right political commentary. The most infamous was a column, published in the wake of the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, titled “We Need to Start Befriending Neo Nazis.” (Mandel is Jewish.) Her content can be cringey, like her column defending Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ wife: “If Casey DeSantis is a Karen, she’s our Karen.” She’s posted dehumanizing rhetoric, too. “Not nuking these fucking animals is the only restraint I expect and that’s only because the cloud would hurt Israelis,” she’s written about Palestinians.

  • @Dkarma
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    1129 months ago

    Classic gop fraud

    • @BrianTheeBiscuiteer
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      119 months ago

      I can’t count the number of times a Democratic candidate has tried this shit in a deep red district. As soon as I hear about it happening, then… y’know… one time.

      • @Chocrates
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        129 months ago

        Didn’t Kyrsten Sinema basically do this?

        • @Floppybutton
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          119 months ago

          Yes, basically. But she did hold office as a dem for a term before she flipped. Though she was basically Joe Manchin in horn-rims and a skirt, at best.