A Democratic congressional candidate in Virginia compared President Trump with Osama bin Laden in a campaign ad that drew condemnation from the White House Thursday.

"The message sent in a campaign ad from a congressional candidate from Virginia is nothing short of reprehensible," said White House spokesman Raj Shah in a statement.

"Leaders from across the political spectrum – starting with Leader Pelosi – must swiftly condemn this abhorrent message," the White House principal deputy press secretary said.

The ad by Dan Helmer, a candidate for Virginia's 10th Congressional District, called Trump the "greatest threat to our democracy," having taken over that title, he said, from the late al-Qaida leader and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.

In the ad, bin Laden's image appears on the screen as Helmer says: "After 9/11, the greatest threat to our democracy lived in a cave. Today, he lives in the White House. No one, even the president, is above the law."

Helmer, an Iraq war veteran challenging incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., launched the ad on the web Wednesday, CNN reported.

It began running Thursday on television in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The left-wing Daily Kos saw the White House condemnation, drawing attention to the ad, as a win for the Helmer campaign.

Army veteran Dan Helmer earns a valuable White House condemnation for his ad comparing Trump to bin Laden. Crowded #VA10 Dem primary is two weeks away https://t.co/qcTyJphX8Rpic.twitter.com/IskrbWGqkz — Daily Kos Elections (@DKElections) May 31, 2018

Helmer, in a tweet, noted Russia Today reported on his ad: "The Russians – who helped @realDonaldTrump get elected and continue to defend him – are worried about my ad. I'll take that as a good sign."