Dr. Oz called out an Islamophobic tweet from a GOP opponent who said 'Pedophilia is a Cornerstone of Islam'

Kathy Barnette is a GOP Senate candidate in Pennsylvania and she is accused of being "reprehensible" by Mehmet Oz.

Oz, who would be the first Muslim US senator if elected, told The Associated Press that it was reprehensible that she would use a social media platform to insult a religion. I am proud to uphold those founding beliefs that every faith has its merits.

Barnette, who has recently been making headlines for moving up in the polls for the Pennsylvania Senate race, sent a link to a post from the now-dead conservative site UFP News with the headline "Pedophilia is a Cornerstone of Islam."

NBC News Correspondent Dasha Burns showed Barnette the story during an interview on Meet the Press.

I don't think that is me. Barnette replied that he would never have said that.

As of Saturday evening, the account was still up.

Barnette has posted Islamaphobic and homophobic messages, including one where she condemned former President Barack Obama for supporting homosexuality and another where she called for a ban on Islam in America.

Barnette's polling numbers were boosted after she released an anti-abortion campaign ad.

In the Pennsylvania primary race, she is currently polling at number two, behind Oz, and has found support among voters frustrated by former President Donald Trump endorsing Oz.

The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List has endorsed Barnette.

Representatives for Barnette and Oz did not respond to Insider's requests for comment.