UPDATE: The West Deptford Township Republican Party has confirmed that Michael Krawitz has dropped out of the race, according to 6ABC.  Officials told the news station that he submitted his withdrawal via hand-written note. 

WEST DEPTFORD TWP. --  Mike Krawitz, a West Deptford Township Committee hopeful, has been asked to exit the race after accusations of harassing a reporter -- including wishing on social media that she would be raped -- were reported. 

Township Republican leaders released a statement saying they were led to believe Krawitz's Facebook was hacked however, after reviewing the facts they "could not find any reasonable reason to believe Krawitz's account was hacked in anyway." 

Krawitz, a Republican who has unsuccessfully run for office in West Deptford several times, was selected to represent the party only after receiving 19 write-in votes during the primary.  His running mate, Joann Priga, received 14. 

However, West Deptford Republican Party officials are calling for him to exit the race after he allegedly posted on Facebook wishing for the rape of Daily Beast reporter Olivia Nuzzi.  Nuzzi claims that Krawitz frequently harassed her on social media since December of 2015, the most recent saying he hoped she'd be raped by a Syrian refugee. 

"For a candidate to use such despicable language toward an individual, let alone a female, is completely unacceptable of anyone representing our Party," the statement continued. " What is worse is to call for violence against a female... and we as a party cannot condone such repulsive, threatening or demeaning rhetoric." 

.Thanks to @Olivianuzzi for talking to us & exposing this vile behavior, 'hacked' or not.  https://t.co/dWGGutYYO8 pic.twitter.com/HwIr7ax6JV — Jessica Gonzalez (@HessicaGonzalez) September 6, 2016

West Deptford Township Republican Party officials ended the statement saying they will take whatever actions necessary to have him removed from the ballot if he does not resign on his own. 

The town's GOP isn't immune to political scandals. 

In 2008, Krawitz -- attempting to get Gov. Jon Corzine on the phone -- pretended to be South Jersey Democratic powerbroker George Norcross when he called the governor's office and spoke to a secretary, according to the Asbury Park Press.  When he was patched through to Corzine, though, he hollered at the state's leader, prompting a visit to his home by New Jersey State Troopers. 

Last fall, inappropriate text messages were unintentionally received by the seated township administrator.  The texts included photos of Democratic Mayor Denice DiCarlo's face superimposed over the Wicked Witch of the West's. 

The group text was sent between the two Republican township committee members, Gerry Maher and Jeff Hansen, GOP candidate Raymond Chintall and what they thought was the phone belonging to the former township administrator. 

A few weeks later, just before the general election in 2015, Chintall -- a former mayor -- said an arrow with a death threat attached to it was shot at his home.  Chintall said he also received death threats when he ran in 2012. 

Chairman of the Gloucester County Republican Party, Jim Philbin, released a statement saying while he does not know Krawitz personally, the language witnessed by him has "no place in politics, the workplace, or in one's private life." 

"Without question, there is no room within our Party for the brand of hate displayed in the posting," said Philbin. " I need it to be abundantly and unequivocally clear neither I nor my Party can support the use of such language.  Given the prior posts that have now surfaced, together with the new alleged statements, I hereby call for his immediate resignation on behalf of the Gloucester County Republican Party." 

Other members of the West Deptford Republican Party did not immediately return requests for comment. 

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com.  Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin.  Find NJ.com on Facebook.