Two Republican Senators Confuse John Lewis For Elijah Cummings In Remembrance Photos

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, accidentally posted photos of the late Rep. Elijah Cummings to remember the civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, who died late Friday. Cummings, a Black Congressman who represented a district in Maryland, died in October.

"It was an honor to know & be blessed with the opportunity to serve in Congress with John Lewis a genuine & historic American hero,” Rubio tweeted, including a photo with Cummings. The tweet was later deleted.

Rubio later tweeted another photo with a correct photo of Lewis.

“Earlier today I tweeted an incorrect photo. John Lewis was a genuine American hero. I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below. My God grant him eternal rest,” Rubio tweeted.

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan also made the same mistake.

"America has lost a legend with the passing of Congressman John Lewis, of Georgia," Sullivan said in a statement, tweeting a photo of himself with Cummings. The tweet was later deleted.

"Wrong black guy," Wesley Lowery, a CBS journalist tweeted in response to Rubio’s post.

Other Twitter users were more critical of the mistakes.

“Y'all worked w/ both Representatives Lewis and Cummings. This is beyond depressing. It's bad enough to mix up a photo, but you worked w/ them and are IN THESE PHOTOS. If this is a staffer error, you need better, less racist staffers,” user Mangy Jay wrote.

Both African-American congressmen were members of the Democratic Party and were outspoken critics of President Trump. Lewis had called Trump a racist, while Cummings was a key player in the impeachment inquiry into Trump's dealings with Ukraine.