SACRAMENTO  (AP) — A Democratic Party official in Sacramento County has resigned after sending an offensive Twitter message during a heated exchange over President Obama’s health care law.

The Sacramento Bee  reports the county’s Democratic Party on Friday called for and accepted the resignation of Allan Brauer, its volunteer communications chair.

Brauer addressed the offensive tweet to Amanda Carpenter, a speechwriter for Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, as House Republicans voted to defund the health care law. Brauer wrote, “May your children all die from debilitating, painful and incurable diseases.”

The message drew widespread condemnation. Brauer apologized to Carpenter before resigning his position with the Democratic Party.

Kerri Asbury, the county’s party chair, called the comments “appalling and inexcusable” and said “wishing harm is never an acceptable response during heated public debate.”