The card, being mailed to absentee voters by the committee to re-elect Republican Carl Parrott, says on one side: "Experience to keep our families safe." The other side pictures 13 criminals, eight of whom appear to be African-American men.

"It is just ugly," county Democratic co-chairman Tim Burke said. "It's the last kind of campaign we need in this community."

Parrott denied the mailer was about race.

"That's absurd," he said. "That's not what we're about. This office is color blind."

Parrott's Democratic opponent, Dr. O'dell Owens, is African-American. Owens did not call the mailer racist. He said Parrott is overstating his office's role in crime-fighting.

"These people deserve to be in jail, but the police and prosecutors do that," Owens said. "He's taking more credit than what he deserves."

Responded Parrott: "(Those pictured) are all in jail in part as a result of the testimony our office provided."

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com