Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersJacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee Trump campaign plays up Biden's skills ahead of Cleveland debate: 'He's actually quite good' Young voters backing Biden by 2:1 margin: poll MORE (I-Vt.) says GOP candidate Ben Carson was out of line to suggest that a Muslim shouldn’t be president.

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“I am very disappointed that Dr. Carson would suggest that a Muslim should not become president of the United States,” Sanders said in a statement released late Sunday. “It took us too long to overcome the prejudice against electing a Catholic or an African-American president. People should be elected to office based on their ideas, not their religion or the color of their skin.”

Carson said in an interview broadcast earlier Sunday that it would be a mistake to elect a Muslim as commander in chief.

“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” Carson said in an interview televised on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “I absolutely would not agree with that.”

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, also condemned Carson for his remarks.

“For Ben Carson, Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE, or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people,” Ellison said in a statement on Sunday. “It’s unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.”

Trump has also been criticized for failing to correct a supporter who called President Obama a Muslim at a town hall on Thursday.

— This report was updated at 6:31 p.m.