As most people have learned by now, once something is on the Internet -- it's pretty much there for good, even if you think you've deleted it. Congressional candidate Mark Assini is learning that the hard way, and, as Capital Tonight's Ryan Whalen explains, the Rochester-area Republican is now being challenged to answer for his past.

In his capacity as a Rochester City Council member, Matt Haag has worked with and come to know Gates Town Supervisor Mark Assini.

"I think when you run for office, it's like being on a job interview. Your past history, your past work experiences are all out there for people to decide if you're the best candidate for the job,” said Haag, a Democrat.

But recently he learned something knew about the Republican congressional candidate.

"I was quite frankly shocked at what I read,” Haag said.

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter's campaign shared with Haag a series of blog posts and comments made between 2004 and 2008 regarding the lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

Among the findings, Assini supported a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, called transgender Americans "mentally disturbed," and agreed with comments calling members of the LGBTQ community sexual deviants.

"I think what really stuck me about them is the level of vitriol, the level of anger, the level of really hateful language toward LGBT people,” Haag said.

"I can't take them back, other than to say I regret having made them and I am now on a different place on the issue,” Assini said.

Assini says over the last 10 years he has evolved on the issues and now fully supports gay marriage.

"I was conflicted because I don't want to judge the people I love and care about and when the Pope came out and said, who am I to judge others on their faith journey, it was a powerful statement for me,” he said.

Haag says while other politicians’ views, including President Obama's, have evolved in the past, this scenario is different.

"A lot of people have disagreed over LGBT rights and marriage. They've done it based on their faith, but they've also done it based in a respectful conversation. I know many people of faith who just aren't there on gay marriage, but I never have heard them use the words that he's used and the word's that he has said that he agrees with,” Haag said.

Assini says while he wishes he hadn't made the comments, he believes his opponent Slaughter has gone to great lengths to attack him.

"I will say this, it's time to start talking about issues in the here and now, not what happened 20 years ago or over a decade ago,” Assini said.