Republican ‘Hate Speech’ Angers US Muslims

"We urge responsible leaders of the Republican Party in Arizona and nationwide to repudiate Ms. Mercer's bigoted comments," Imraan Siddiqi, member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)’s chapter in Arizona said in a statement .

 “If you know Middle Easterners, a lot of them they look Mexican or like a lot of people in South America - dark skin, dark hair, brown eyes, and they mix in," she said in the interview, recorded last year by WesternFreePress.

"And those people, their only goal in life is to cause harm to the United States. So why do we want them here, either legally or illegally? "

Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison denounced the Republican candidate for sowing fears and division in the congressional race .

"I am disappointed in Gabriela Saucedo Mercer's decision to inject division and fear into the election in Arizona's Third District," Rep. Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, said .

"America was founded on the fundamental belief in liberty in justice for ALL, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or background .”

Recently, a Republican Missouri lawmaker described Islam as a disease like polio while another Alaska Rep. branded Muslims as ‘occupiers’ of American neighborhoods .