Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersNYT editorial board remembers Ginsburg: She 'will forever have two legacies' Two GOP governors urge Republicans to hold off on Supreme Court nominee Sanders knocks McConnell: He's going against Ginsburg's 'dying wishes' MORE (I-Vt.) said on Wednesday that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's attacks on a progressive House candidate in Texas were "appalling" and "unacceptable."

"What these organizations should not be doing is doing negative attacks on Democratic candidates," Sanders told The Associated Press in an interview.

"That just continues the process of debasing the Democratic system in this country and is why so many people are disgusted with politics."

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Sanders comments came in reference to the DCCC's decision to publish opposition research against Democrat Laura Moser ahead of the March 6 congressional primary for Texas' 7th district.

Moser, an activist endorsed by Sanders' group Our Revolution, will now head to a runoff election against Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher in May. Neither candidate received a majority of the vote in the Tuesday primary.

The winner of the runoff will face Rep. John Culberson John Abney Culberson2020 Democratic Party platform endorses Trump's NASA moon program Bottom line Ex-Rep. Frelinghuysen joins law and lobby firm MORE (R-Texas) in the November general election.

The DCCC attacked Moser last month as a Washington insider, who only moved to back to her home state of Texas recently to run for Congress.

Sanders, a progressive who ran a competitive presidential primary race against Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE in 2016, has been endorsing candidates across the country amid a Democratic push to win control of the House.

In the 2016 Democratic Primary, Sanders himself faced battling for a party nomination while the party actively worked against him.

Leaked emails from top Democratic National Committee officials in 2016 showed that party leaders had sought to help Clinton clinch the presidential nomination over the Vermont senator. These revelations prompted outrage among the party's progressive wing.

Clinton has said she thought the long primary between her and Sanders hurt her in her general election loss to President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE.