Republican Rep. Allen West on Thursday decried as "classless" and "reprehensible" a new campaign ad that depicts him repeatedly punching women in the face. 

The Florida congressman put out the statement as the ad, from a political group financed by his potential Democratic opponent's father, began to draw national attention beyond his South Florida district. 

The startling ad opens by showing a cartoonish version of West in a boxing ring. It then shows his boxing gloves punching first an elderly woman -- showing a freeze frame of spit flying out of her mouth, punctuated by a loud "thwack" -- and then a younger woman. 

The punches land as the narrator lists the groups of people West has supposedly wronged. 

"Allen West fancies himself a fighter, maybe so," the narrator says. "West has socked it to seniors, voting to end Medicare as we know it."

It continues: "He's whacked women with his votes for huge cuts in women's health care funding and he's mauled middle-class families."