Joshua Black, a Republican candidate for Florida House District 68, stated on twitter that President Barack Obama should be hanged for treason.
"I'm past impeachment," Black tweeted. "It's time to arrest and hang him high."
According to The Tampa Bay Times, Chris Latvala, a Republican candidate for the nearby House District 67, was quick to reply and distance himself from Black.
"You aren't seriously calling for the killing of Obama are you?" Latvala wrote. "I know you are crazy but good heavens. U R an embarrassment."
There was a wave of backlash to the tweet, but Black didn't falter in his position.
"This is the man who droned Al-Awaki on 'suspicion of terrorism'--not proof--and later killed his 15-year-old son for nothing more than being his son," he wrote on Facebook. "This is also the man who sought to have Bradley Manning and Eric Snowden executed for treason when they didn't kill anyone, nor does the US government pretend to believe that they cost any spies their lives."
The Huffington Post reports that the Florida Republican party was quick to distance itself from Black's comments.
"It's deplorable, it's despicable, and it has no place in public discourse," said Susan Hepworth, the Republican Party of Florida's communications director.
Black, 31, a former street evangelist in St. Louis, moved to Pinellas Park in Florida in 2007 where he works as a taxi driver. According to his website, he became involved in politics during the 2012 presidential primaries.
Despite a reported visit from the U.S. Secret Service and a request from Florida governor Rick Scott to drop out of the race, Black said he would not withdraw his candidacy.