A chapter of the Minnesota GOP apologized for a Feb. 26 Facebook post that compared Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to Adolf Hitler.
The Clay County Republican of Minnesota post featured a now-deleted photo from an Instagram account called @conservatives_of_washington, claiming parallels between Sanders and Hitler, including that the two supported gun control and that they both wanted “a heavily regulated economy.”
The chapter said that a volunteer was responsible for the post.
“Whether it’s the Democrats comparing President Trump to Hitler, or Republicans comparing Bernie Sanders to Hitler, it is wrong, inappropriate, and in poor taste,” the post read. “Our sincerest apologies to all.”
Minnesota GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan denounced the post in a statement, saying, “We must, Republicans and Democrats alike, do better to dispel hate and come together as Americans.”
The Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest chapter tweeted, “Comparing a candidate’s policies to those of Hitler is inaccurate and offensive. Such actions are hurtful and have no place in our politics. We welcome the apology and removal of the post, and hope that the Clay County GOP uses better judgment.”
Comparing a candidate's policies to those of Hitler is inaccurate and offensive. Such actions are hurtful and have no place in our politics. We welcome the apology and removal of the post, and hope that the Clay County GOP uses better judgement. https://t.co/dDJ5LX9BQU
— ADL Midwest (@ADLMidwest) February 27, 2019
During his first presidential bid, Sanders said in March 2016 that his “father’s family was wiped out by Hitler in the Holocaust.”
Sanders announced on Feb. 19 that he is again running for president in 2020.
