An email sent by the Williamson County Republican Party contained what some are calling a racist meme featuring U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected member of Congress who is quickly becoming a target of criticism for Republicans.

The image shows a woman interviewing Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, asking her opinion on Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed a women's right to have an abortion.

The lawmaker is shown responding, "Thats (sic) the only two ways Mexicans can cross the river."

The image appears to have been included at the bottom of a newsletter sent by Debbie Deaver, chair of the Williamson County Republican Party, and comes amid the five-week partial shutdown of the federal government and increasing tensions surrounding immigration and President Donald Trump's proposed wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

In an email to The Tennessean on Tuesday, Deaver defended the decision to include the image in an official party newsletter.

"Allowing a few people on the left to whip up media outrage over political satire is just another example of the left manipulating the press to present their narrative as truth and all other views as wrong or worse racist," Deaver said in the email.

"The Republican Party of Williamson County will not let those outside our organization tell us what we can or can’t say."

Williamson County School Board member Eric Welch, a Republican, spoke out against the image on his official Facebook page Monday in a post addressed to Deaver. The school board is nonpartisian.

"The text suggested it was meant to be humorous. It absolutely was not," Welch wrote. "It wasn't funny, or clever and it certainly wasn't worthy of the party of Lincoln. Speaking as a Republican, this doesn't represent me or my beliefs."

Williamson County Democratic Party Chair Holly McCall said Tuesday that the image was sad, but not surprising.

"This is a tired, old racist joke that the Williamson County Republican Party has now shopped around in meme form, additionally attacking a Democratic congresswoman," McCall said. "It's not even shocking to see something like this coming out of (the party). Instead of addressing issues, they would rather take the low road."

Deaver said the decision to include the image in the email newsletter comes down to freedom of speech, and added that no one from the party has complained to her about the image.

"While the Williamson County Republican Party respects the rights of all individuals and we stand united by the Republican Party platform as a big tent where all are welcome, we do grant our members the platitude to decide for themselves what offends them," Deaver said.

Gov. Bill Lee spokeswoman Laine Arnold declined to comment on the matter. Lee, a Republican who was inaugurated Saturday, is a Williamson County native.

It's unclear exactly when the newsletter containing the image was sent out.

As for Ocasio-Cortez, Deaver said the new congresswoman and rising political figure is going to be the subject of satire — some of which may be found offensive or humorous to different people. Ocasio-Cortez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, has quickly built a reputation as a firebrand in Congress with a strong social media following, drawing the ire of numerous high-profile Republicans.

Deaver claimed no one on the left has complained after Ocasio-Cortez said in a recent Washington Post interview that Democratic Congress members plan to "run train" on the progressive agenda over the next two years.

The comment has been perceived by some as a reference to gang rape.

While the Williamson County Republican Party keeps a relatively low profile, the November 2018 general election solidified the county's reputation as a GOP political stronghold. In addition to Lee, state House Speaker Glen Casada and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, both Republicans, are also Williamson County residents.

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Emily West contributed to this story.

Reach Elaina Sauber at esauber@tennessean.com, 615-571-1172 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.