Rep. Daryl Metcalfe

A Republican state lawmaker has branded his rival a “lying homosexual.”

Pennsylvania state Representative Daryl Metcalfe made the comments in a post to Facebook last week, in which he took aim at several Democratic lawmakers.

The Republican official branded Democratic Rep. Brian Sims a “lying homosexual,” before complaining that Rep. Matt Bradford had “touched him.”

Metcalfe wrote: “There is a pattern to the attacks that have been made against me by liberal loser Democrat legislators on my committee. Former Rep Leslie Acosta who lied about me is now convict Acosta, lying homosexual Rep Brian Sims has been under an ethics investigation, then there is constant touchy-feely Rep Matt Bradford who has touched me over 40 times in what many observers have said is an attempt to provoke me!

“When they oppose us on my committee, they lose every vote and we win every vote! I block all substantive Democrat legislation sent to my committee and advance good Republican legislation! Liberals continue their lying attacks

“in an attempt to stop my work in defense of taxpayers and our liberty!”

In an interview with Associated Press he doubled down, adding that he believes Sims’ homosexuality is “immoral behaviour.”

Sims, for his part, seems to be taking the slurs well.

He tweeted a reference to the film Mean Girls, writing: “My most infamously bigoted colleague, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe took to his ‘burn book’ to attack my colleagues of color and myself call me a ‘lying homosexual.'”

Never missing a chance to fundraise, he shared a link to a donation page, adding: “I could use your help as I go up against this type of blatant homophobia and bigotry in the Capital.”

He added: “For the record, [Metcalfe]’s a racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, bigot and those of us in Pennsylvania have known this for a long time.

“His behavior, his public statements, and his legislation over the years all clearly rise to the level of those definitions.

“This latest rant won’t be his last but it could be his last as the Chair of the powerful State Government Committee that oversees Civil Rights Bills and Gerrymandering Legislation.

“Please join me and thousands of people across the Commonwealth is demanding that his Chairmanship be pulled because of his overt admission that he refuses to allow Democratic legislation to pass through his committee!”

Metcalfe previously came under fire after telling Bradford to move away from him in a meeting because “I don’t like men as you might.”

After the Democrat lightly touched his arm to get his attention, Metcalfe said: “Representative Bradford just, look, I’m a heterosexual, I have a wife, I love my wife.

“I don’t like men as you might, but don’t – stop touching me all the time.

“Keep your hands to yourself. Like, if you want to touch somebody you have people on your side of the aisle that might like it.

“I don’t.”

Shocked laughter and silence followed, to which Bradford gamely interjected, telling the room: “OK, we’re officially off the rails.”

Brandon Cwalina, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Democrats, called for the Republican to step down.

Cwalina said: “Enough is enough. Daryl Metcalfe is a walking, talking embarrassment to Pennsylvanians and doesn’t deserve the honour of serving in public office.

“For years Metcalfe has taken policy positions based on bigoted misconceptions and fear of minority groups and the LGBT community, but today he has gone beyond the pale.

“We are again calling on Daryl Metcalfe to resign and to apologise to all Pennsylvanians for his ridiculously bigoted behaviour.”

Sims recently taught a homophobe a lesson… by calling his grandmother.