N. J. candidate apologizes for sex-advice tweets

October 21, 2011|By Joelle Farrell, Inquirer Staff Writer
  • Phil Mitsch is running for state Senate in the 6th District.

After initially refusing to apologize for his sex-advice tweets, New Jersey Senate candidate Phil Mitsch sounded more contrite in a statement released early Thursday evening.

"I would like to sincerely apologize for any offense I may have caused anyone, particularly women, as a result of a Twitter post that has recently been reported," Mitsch said.

He then explained the basis for the controversial tweet he posted Sept. 2 to his more than 44,000 followers: "Women, you increase your odds of keeping your men by being faithful, a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom."

"The specific tweet in question is an age-old saw most notably quoted by Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger's ex-wife, in the early 1990's: 'My mother said in order to keep a man, you must be a maid in the living room, a cook in the kitchen, and a whore in the bedroom,' " the Republican candidate said in the statement. "I updated her quote with the fact that men should 'be faithful, a gentleman in the living room and a stud in the bedroom,' but looking back, I didn't update the original terminology enough to reflect 21st century sensibilities."

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Camden County GOP Chairman Thomas Booth Jr., who demanded the apology and threatened to pull support for Mitsch's candidacy in the Sixth Legislative District, could not be reached immediately for comment. In an earlier interview Thursday, he said he wanted any apology from Mitsch to show that Mitsch understands why the tweet was offensive and why it was wrong to put it on Twitter.

Mitsch will face Democratic incumbent State Sen. James Beach in the Nov. 8 election. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 among registered voters in the Camden County district.

Mitsch's sex tips on Twitter drew the wrath of both parties after they came to light late last week.

Democrats called on Mitsch to drop out of the race. On Wednesday, the state GOP said his comment made him "unfit for public office."

State GOP spokesman Rick Gorka said Thursday, after reading the apology, that "our position will not change."

Booth initially supported Mitsch, saying Mitsch made a mistake but was still a great candidate. On Thursday, Booth changed his mind and demanded an apology for the offensive tweets.

"I just really wanted to give the guy the benefit of the doubt," he said. "It's inappropriate and I'm offended, quite frankly, as a husband to a loving and supportive wife and having two daughters myself."

In an interview Thursday morning, Mitsch defended his tweet.

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