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MAGA lawmaker Mike Lawler was forced to apologize after a photo surfaced of him wearing blackface at a college Halloween party.

The photo of the 38-year-old rising house star published by The new YorkJust, shows Lawler dressed as Michael Jackson at a party at Manhattan College in October 2006.

In the picture, Lawler, who is in a tight race for his seat, is wearing red leather thriller jacket and strikes one of Jackson's signature poses. His face is visibly darkened.

The image was one of several shared on Facebook at the time, with old classmates vouching for its authenticity Just reported.

The Independent Lawler's rep has reached out for comment.

Lawler admitted Just that he used bronzer to visibly darken his face, but claimed that “the ugly practice of blackface was the furthest thing from my mind.”

“Let me be clear, this is not that,” he continued. “I'm a history major and I'm sorry to anyone who finds the photo offensive. All you can do is live and learn.”

Lawler told CNN's Kaitlan Collins later Thursday that his outfit was a “homage” to his musical hero Jackson.

“There was no ill intent, no attempt to denigrate, mock or demean Black Americans. It was really an effort to pay homage to someone who is a musical idol to me,” he said.

“I have always loved Michael Jackson's music, his dance moves and his ability to entertain. That really wasn't what could really be interpreted as blackface. But I definitely understand why people would be offended by that, and I’m sorry.”

In 2005, as a high school senior in New York, Lawler flew to California to attend parts of Jackson's criminal trial for molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch Just. The case ended in an acquittal.

According to Jackson biographer J Randy Taraborrelli's book, Lawler was allegedly removed from the courtroom after he became “so disgusted” that he “muttered something derogatory under his breath.” Michael Jackson: The magic, the madness, the whole story.

The congressman, who previously defeated former Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman Sean Maloney to win the House seat in November 2022, is currently in a neck-and-neck race with former Rep. Mondaire Jones for the competitive 17th District in the lower Hudson Valley.

According to a recent poll, Lawler has a 3.1 percent lead over Jones The hill.