Updated at noon on Sunday with Trump comments and Monday at 10 a.m. with O’Rourke’s response to Trump.

WASHINGTON — Beto O’Rourke — already pushing a ban on assault weapons — has added to the list of issues sure to alienate conservative voters if he makes it to the general election, by vowing to revoke the tax-exempt status of churches that oppose same-sex marriage.

The former El Paso congressman made the comments Thursday night during a CNN town hall devoted to LGBTQ issues.

His stance toward conservative religious institutions was far more aggressive than that of most rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Texan seemed to be addressing acts of discrimination, such as withholding insurance benefits, although CNN’s Don Lemon framed the question in terms of belief: “Do you think religious institutions like colleges, churches, charities — should they lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage?”

“Yes,” O’Rourke said without hesitation, drawing applause from the Los Angeles audience.

“There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone, or any institution, any organization in America that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us,” he added. “So as president we’re going to make that a priority and we are going to stop those who are infringing on the rights of our fellow Americans.”

President Donald Trump called O’Rourke a “wacko" on Saturday night.

Speaking to religious conservatives at the annual Values Voter Summit in Washington, hosted by the Family Research Counsel, Trump prompted boos when he reminded the crowd that "just a few days ago a Democrat running for president proposed revoking the tax exempt status of many churches and religious group. And you know why and you who it is.

“He’s a wacko," Trump said. “I will never allow the federal government to be used to target, harass or punish communities of faith.”

Beto O’Rourke on religious institutions losing tax-exempt status for opposing same-sex marriage: “There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone ... that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us” #EqualityTownHall pic.twitter.com/0ruxeIao8o — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 11, 2019

The Texan responded to Trump by calling him “a man who’s used his office to stoke hate, fear, and discrimination,” and stepping away from the apparent threat to tax benefits on the basis of belief rather than action: “Anyone can believe what they want."

He did more damage-control Sunday on MSNBC, affirming that “the way you practice your faith within your place of worship is your business. But when you are providing services in the public sphere—and you deny equal treatment under the law based on someone’s skin color or sexual orientation—then we have a problem.”

Two weeks ago, O’Rourke vowed to revoke the NRA’s tax-exempt status.

By that point, he had already alienated Second Amendment advocates. In the wake of the Aug. 3 rampage at a Walmart in his hometown, O’Rourke vowed to ban assault-style weapons and institute a mandatory buyback — effectively, confiscation of up to 15 million guns.

His threat to revoke tax benefits afforded to churches and other nonprofits drew allegations that he is now taking aim at the First Amendment, as well — the one that protects freedom of expression and religion.

The NRA should lose its tax-exempt status. — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 27, 2019

“He was going after your guns, now he’s going after your God,” Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, told activists at the annual Values Voter Summit on Friday morning.

At First Liberty Institute, a Plano-based legal group that defends religious rights, president, CEO and chief counsel Kelly Shackelford vowed a court fight if necessary.

“O’Rourke threatened that he would strip churches of their tax-exempt status for simply following thousands of years of religious teaching doctrine,” he said. “Beto O’Rourke’s threat is a direct affront to the constitutional guarantee of religious liberty."

After the town hall appearance, O’Rourke tweeted out nearly verbatim the comment that sparked the uproar, signaling he would not walk back his threat.

But Friday afternoon, the campaign sought to tamp down the uproar, asserting that he wasn’t referring to teachings or beliefs but to discriminatory action.

“Of course, Beto was referring to religious institutions who take discriminatory action. The extreme right is distorting this for their own agenda." said the aide, who asked not to be identified by name.

There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone or any institution or organization in America that denies the full human rights, and the full civil rights, of everyone in America. — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 11, 2019

On the right, defense of florists, bakeries and wedding chapels that refused service to same-sex couples animated the 2016 Republican primaries, with Sen. Ted Cruz and others tapping into fears of cultural shifts and assaults on religious freedom.

Ahead of 2020, a mirror-image debate has emerged among Democratic contenders striving to assure voters that they would be tireless champions of equality.

Herman Cain, the former pizza company executive and tea party Republican who ran for president in 2012, blasted O’Rourke on Friday morning. “Does your church preach the Gospel? Then Beto O’Rourke wants to take away its tax-exemption,” he tweeted.

Does your church preach the Gospel? Then Beto O'Rourke wants to take away its tax-exemption. #ReligiousFreedom https://t.co/sH40i9UGrg — Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) October 11, 2019

A scathing article posted on Cain’s website takes the argument further, pointing out that taken literally, O’Rourke “wants to disqualify certain organizations from tax-exempt status solely on the basis of how they teach one particular issue. ... And oh by the way, the reason churches teach the point of view Beto doesn’t like is because it’s what the Bible teaches, and that’s what churches do.”

O’Rourke’s stance invited accusations from the right that in his drive for tolerance, he would punish religious groups that disagree with him and is therefore pushing intolerance.

“Yesterday: ‘Live and let live. My choices don’t affect your life. #Tolerance.’ Today: 'Any church that doesn’t embrace my views will lose its tax-exemption!” conservative commentator Michael Knowles tweeted late Thursday in response to his comments.

Yesterday: 'Live and let live. My choices don't affect your life. #Tolerance.'



Today: 'Any church that doesn't embrace my views will lose its tax-exemption! Even non-tax-exempt organizations will face consequences!'#EqualityTownHall — Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) October 11, 2019

Sophia A. Nelson, an MSNBC commentator and author of E Pluribus One: Reclaiming Our Founders’ Vision for a United America, likewise took O’Rourke to task.

“How dare you suggest that we give up #ReligiousFreedom #religiousliberty and remove 501c3 tax status to churches if they oppose #LGBTQ rights or [same sex marriage],” she tweeted. The Constitution, she added, guarantees “equality for ALL. Not just for some!”

Others accused him explicitly of running to curb the First Amendment.

The outpouring from gay rights activists was enthusiastic, though some commentators warned that O’Rourke is only feeding into the suspicion some conservative Christians hold toward Democrats, and their sense of persecution. And others questioned by Lemon asked him the question in the first place, given that there is no particular movement aimed at rolling back tax breaks for faith-based groups based on their teachings, as opposed to their actions.

O’Rourke was one of nine Democratic candidates taking part in back-to-back “Equality in America” town hall sessions on CNN. He was the only candidate asked about tax-exempt status for churches.

The closest question posed to another candidate came earlier in the evening. Sen. Cory Booker stepped carefully when asked whether “religious education institutions should lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose LGBTQ rights.”

“We must stand up as a nation to say that religion cannot be an excuse to deny people health insurance, education, or more,” he said, broadening the issue to include bakeries and other private employers.

When CNN’s Dana Bash pressed to say if such institutions should lose their tax-exempt status, Booker vowed “consequences” but wouldn’t say outright whether that should include loss of tax exemption for religious institutions.

­­­“You cannot discriminate. … I’m going to make sure that I hold them accountable,” he said.