Updated 2:56 p.m. ET, 5/5/2014
(CNN) - The Tennessee state Republican Party condemned a member of its own Monday after state Sen. Stacey Campfield compared Obamacare sign-ups to Nazi "train rides."
"While Stacey Campfield routinely makes remarks that are over the top, today's comments are ignorant and repugnant," Tennessee GOP Chairman Chris Devaney said in a statement.
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"No political or policy disagreement should ever be compared to the suffering endured by an entire generation of people," he continued. "Those comments have no place in our public discourse. He should offer an apology to members of the Jewish faith immediately."
It started when Campfield, who represents Knoxville, posted a short "thought of the day" Monday morning to his blog.
"Democrats bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for Obamacare is like Germans bragging about the number of manditory (sic) sign ups for 'train rides' for Jews in the 40s," his blog read.
Later reached by CNN, Campfield said he regrets that "some people miss the point of my post."
"It was not to offend. It was to warn," he said in an email. "To draw attention to Obamacare and the slippery slope that I see occurring in the lives of myself, my constituents, and the rest of the country with the continued taking of freedom by the federal government."
"In no way was my post meant to diminish or detract from the pain, suffering and loss of human life that occurred during this dark time in human history," he continued. "Instead the post was meant to draw attention to the loss of freedom that we are currently experiencing. I stand by my steadfast opposition to Obamacare."
CNN's Ashley Killough and Adam Levy contributed to this report.