A House Republican candidate has edited out from a campaign ad slamming her Democratic opponent video footage shot moments before the beheading of American journalist James Foley.

A spokesman for retired Air Force Lt. Col. Wendy Rogers said Tuesday she chose to remove the footage that had drawn heavy criticism in order to keep the focus on her opponent.

Rogers’ ad slams Arizona Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema as weak on national security.

Rogers launched the commercial Monday. It opened with footage released by militants showing an Islamic State group member with a knife as Foley kneels. The spot didn’t show the beheading. The Democratic National Congressional Committee called the use of the footage “reprehensible.”

Rogers bought about $124,000 in air time for the commercial in the Phoenix market and on cable.

(AP)