Democrat congressional candidate Justin Lecea, a self-described “Bernie Democrat” who is running to unseat Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) in Texas’ 20th Congressional District, tweeted this week that former President Barack Obama “deserved” cancer “or worse” and also made disturbing remarks that appear to show that he supports shooting Republicans.

Over the weekend, Lecea commented on the following tweet from Obama: “You can get the zen garden next week, but tomorrow is the last day to sign up for health coverage at HealthCare[.]gov. This year, most current HealthCare[.]gov customers can find an insurance plan with a monthly premium of $10 or less. Get covered today!”

Lecea wrote, “I just want you to think about all the people who have and will die because Obamacare is pointless and your entire presidency was a waste. If god was just you would get the most malignant cancer imaginable.”

Just in case he deletes it or blocks me… pic.twitter.com/XX5TijiPfX — Charles #GetCovered-ba (@charles_gaba) December 16, 2019

In a subsequent tweet that was later removed from Twitter, Lecea wrote: “People are criticizing me for wishing cancer on Obama. I say that having lost a parent to brain cancer after 12 years of fighting, and getting to see just how terrible our Healthcare system is, and I still think he deserves it or worse.”

“Y’all are defending a war criminal who was in authority during the deportation of over 3 million immigrants, continued the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, allowed the continued poisoning of citizens in places like Flint, and also recently bought an 11 million dollar home in Martha’s Vinyard, and demonstrated privilege so great that he gives zero fucks about y’all,” Lecea continued. “Obama is part of the club that is going to let y’all burn in climate change. So @ me all you want I said nothing directly threatening.”

recently bought an 11 million dollar home in Martha's Vinyard, and demonstrated privilege so great that he gives zero fucks about y'all. Obama is part of the club that is going to let y'all burn in climate change. So @ me all you want I said nothing directly threatening — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 16, 2019

In another horrifying tweet, Lecea wrote: “If I contract cancer like my mother did, I am not going to beg my community to donate to a gofundme for the possibility of staying alive, I will instead donate my life to the James T. Hodgkinson Memorial fund”

James T. Hodgkinson was the Bernie Sanders supporter who shot up a baseball field full of Republican lawmakers in Virginia in 2017, which nearly killed Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA).

If I contract cancer like my mother did, I am not going to beg my community to donate to a gofundme for the possibility of staying alive, I will instead donate my life to the James T. Hodgkinson Memorial fund — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 14, 2019

Lecea continued: “The fact that so many people were that upset and willing to defend people that will sacrifice y’all to climate extinction while they escape with the billionaires they serve is sad and about as depressing as the fact that our species will probably be extinct in 100 years.”

The fact that so many people were that upset and willing to defend people that will sacrifice y'all to climate extinction while they escape with the billionaires they serve is sad and about as depressing as the fact that our species will probably be extinct in 100 years — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 16, 2019

In tweets that showed his political views, Lecea wrote: “That feeling everyday you have to pay bills, go to work, purchase necessities. Our economic system is designed to crush you and your loved ones in order to generate profit for a few. That feeling is true, our system is rigged and you will never be part of their club #EndTheFed”

That feeling everyday you have to pay bills, go to work, purchase necessities. Our economic system is designed to crush you and your loved ones in order to generate profit for a few. That feeling is true, our system is rigged and you will never be part of their club#EndTheFed — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 15, 2019

Lecea continued: “The stock market is the biggest collective financial scam ever invented. HSAs are a scam. 401ks are a scam. IRAs are a scam. Market based pensions are a scam. Capitalism is a scam. Your employer uses your saving money to invest in the chains that imprison you #DivestWallSt”

The stock market is the biggest collective financial scam ever invented HSAs are a scam

401ks are a scam

IRAs are a scam

Market based pensions are a scam

Capitalism is a scam Your employer uses your saving money to invest in the chains that imprison you#DivestWallSt — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 15, 2019

Lecea appeared to defend his comments about Obama on Tuesday after Twitter removed his tweet, writing, “I acknowledge that the delivery of my statement may have been crude and offensive, but the motivation for my statement came from a place of deep suffering and anguish. I have personally seen the suffering that our inadequate healthcare system has inflicted on all of us. None of my detractors are attacking Obama for the thousands of Flint residents that *will* develop cancer or other illness due to Obama’s unwillingness to intervene to rebuild the poisoned infrastructure of a predominantly Black city.”

None of my detractors are attacking Obama for the thousands of Flint residents that *will* develop cancer or other illness due to Obama's unwillingness to intervene to rebuild the poisoned infrastructure of a predominantly Black city 2/4https://t.co/EuQr4WWkvG — Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) December 17, 2019

Lecea continued, “My anger is for all of us and though Twitter forced the removal of the offending tweet, I stand by the moral justification for the things that I said. I will never apologize for speaking truth to power. Or saying that we need to remove billionaires by any means necessary. Additionally, my opponent @Castro4Congress has still not yet signed on to #MedicareForAll, so he may not wish cancer on war criminals, but he certainly doesn’t seem to care if any of our fellow Americans can afford healthcare.”