Footage from the recent beheading of American journalist James Foley is being used in a campaign ad by a House Republican candidate to blast Arizona Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's decisions regarding terrorism and national security, the Associated Press reported. Although the actual execution is not televised, the ad features moments leading up to the beheading by Islamic State militants.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Wendy Rogers "launched the commercial that opens with a member of the Islamic State with a knife as Foley kneels, an image directly from video footage released by the militants on Aug. 19," according to the AP. It will be the first ad to make use of the ISIS video for November's midterm election campaign.
"Terrorist threats are growing. Are we secure? Are we protected?" says a narrator as other images of the Islamic State group are shown, including Foley kneeling next to his masked captor. "Keeping us safe and secure is Congress' job. Kyrsten Sinema hasn't done her job."
The $124,00-worth of ad goes on to accuse Sinema of allowing imprisoned Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, terrorists to walk free and granting full legal rights to terrorists through her votes, The Hill reported.
"It's true. It's wrong," the narrator continues. "Kyrsten Sinema allowed her liberal agenda to get in the way of our safety."
The controversial imagery prompted demands by Democrats to take the commercial off air, including Tyrone Gayle, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who asked Rogers to issue an apology to Foley's family, stating it was "reprehensible" for her to "use the footage of an American tragedy for political gain."
"It is reprehensible and unbecoming of anyone seeking elected office to use the footage of an American tragedy for political gain, and Wendy Rogers should remove this ad immediately and apologize to Mr. Foley's family," said Gale. "For Wendy Rogers to use such a reprehensible tactic to make baseless claims just to smear Representative Sinema proves how desperate her campaign has become."
However, inserting the "beheading" footage highlighted the differences between candidates in handling of current affairs, Rogers' campaign spokesman, James Harris, argued.
"We think it's an important ad to highlight the differences on what this election is about and how President Obama's failed leadership internationally has made our country less safe," Harris said.
Representing Arizona's 9th Congressional District, Sinema narrowly won her seat in 2012. Appearing much safer than two other Arizona House seats, Sinema's district is being considered a favorite to win re-election, according to the AP.
