THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH A RESPONSE FROM THE SIMPSON CAMPAIGN.

Republicans are going to start running cable TV ads against state Rep. Geoff Simpson (D-47, Covington, Black Diamond).

Simpson was recently charged by Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes with gross misdemeanor assault against his ex-wife and has a court hearing later this month. (The charge stems from an alleged confrontation with his ex-wife at Children's Hospital in Seattle.) This is the second time Simpson has been accused of domestic violence assault; last time, in 2008, the prosecutor dropped the charges.

Here's the ad, one of the most brutal I've seen while covering local politics.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7hOp5tH5y8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The Public Disclosure Commission does not report any independent expenditures against Simpson this year. GOPAC, which doesn't have a listing at the PDC, is reportedly behind the ad.

UPDATE: GOPAC just registered with the PDC this week and have not reported their expenditures yet.

Simpson is in a tough race, facing off against two GOP challengers, Mark Hargrove and  Nancy Wyatt.

We called Simpson earlier today to get his response to the ad.

UPDATED WITH RESPONSE FROM SIMPSON:

Simpson's campaign issued a statement throwing the spotlight on GOPAC:

"This is repulsive from the standpoint of anyone who's experienced or witnessed the trauma associated with domestic violence. It certainly hits a new low in politics in Washington state politics. To attempt political gain by profitting of a family's divorce and to express phony concern about a political adversary in relation to such an issue is sickening. People should seriously question who's funding this ad and what they have to gain from it."