Val DiGiorgio stepped down last week as Pennsylvania’s Republican Party chairman after a published report by the Philadelphia Inquirer alleged that he traded numerous sexually explicit text messages and sent a picture of his genitals to a woman who is running for a seat on Philadelphia City Council.

In his resignation letter, DiGiorgio insisted that the communications were consensual. According to the published report, the woman felt as if the communications amounted to sexual harassment.

DiGiorgio, who is married with children, previously served as the chair of the Chester County Republican Committee.

DiGiorgio’s departure amid the scandal comes after months of party infighting that resulted from  a dismal statewide showing in the 2018 midterm elections when Republicans lost three congressional seats and suffered double-digit defeats in a gubernatorial and a U.S. Senate race that were supposed to be competitive.

DiGiorgio stepped down as the chairman of the Chester County Republican Committee late in 2018 after the party suffered historic defeats at the county level when Democrats won treasurer, controller, coroner, and the clerk of courts races for the first time.

Rick Loughery, the county’s recorder of deeds, was tapped to take over as the chairman of the Chester County Republican Committee.

Bernadette Comfort is taking over as the chair of the state Republican Committee on an interim basis.