A newly published photo of Doug Mastriano, a far-right conspiracy theorist and Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee supported by former President Donald Trump, shows him wearing a Confederate uniform at the U.S. Army College in 2017.
The photo, obtained by Reuters, shows Mastriano on the far left of a faculty group photo wearing the uniform and regalia.
People with knowledge about the photo told Reuters that faculty members had the choice to dress as a historical figure and that Mastriano was the only one who wore the Confederate garb.
You can see a copy of the photo below.
The photo’s release comes as his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro, holds an 11% lead in a poll against Mastriano to replace Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, WHTM-TV reported.
The state’s general election will be Nov. 8.
The photo shows other faculty dressing in costumes, including a man with a pilot helmet.
Military officials announced a de facto ban on the Confederate flag, a symbol beloved by white supremacists, back in 2020 following the death of George Floyd.
“The Army supports commanders who remove symbols or images that do not comport with Army values,” a U.S. Army spokesperson said.
Reuters noted that it’s unclear how voters in Pennsylvania will feel about the photo. More than 33,000 Union soldiers from Pennsylvania died in the Civil War.
Mastriano is no stranger to controversy, participating in Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The candidate also appeared Thursday on a radio show and said it is “disgusting” that states want to ban the scientifically discredited practice of “conversion therapy,” which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation.
