MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart had a tense exchange with GOP House candidate Leon Benjamin about some blatantly homophobic comments that the Republican Congressional candidate made on social media in the past.

Benjamin — a Navy veteran and pastor of New Life Harvest Church — joined Capehart on Sunday to talk about the special election he faces against Democrat Jennifer McClellan in Virginia’s fourth Congressional District. As the interview came to an end, Capehart brought up a Facebook post Benjamin posted in 2011 in which he grouped the LGBTQ community with “sick” people, “bipolar” people, and people addicted to drugs and alcohol

“You started this conversation by saying you were ‘running to be a bridge.’ You used the word unity,” Capehart exclaimed. “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 answered by accusing Capehart of looking at his words “in a different way.”

“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.”

Coming up against the top of the hour, Capehart moved to close out the interview. But before throwing to commercial, the MSNBC host told Benjamin, “as an out, gay, married man, I have a hard time finding compassion in that 2011 Facebook post.”

“Come to my church, Jonathan. You will be welcome,” Benjamin replied. “I will not push you away. I will not marginalize you. You will be welcomed.”

Watch above via MSNBC.

The post WATCH: MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart Confronts GOP House Candidate on Anti-LGBTQ Facebook Posts in Tense Clash first appeared on Mediaite.

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