Krystal Ball, congressional candidate in Virginia, calls raunchy photos leaked online 'sexist'

Politics is a dirty business, as one candidate for Congress in Virginia has learned after raunchy photos of her were leaked on the Internet on Tues.

Krystal Ball, an accountant running against incumbent GOP Rep. Rob Wittman, called the leak "outrageous" and "incredibly sexist."

"Of course, I'm embarrassed by these photos; that was the whole point of these political operatives when they put them up," she said in a statement. "But more than just embarrassed, I am angry!"

Ball said the photos, showing her wearing a Santa hat and simulating sex acts with her ex-husband, were taken at a costume party 6 years ago.

"This isn't a way to conduct a political campaign, and the people of the 1st District of Virginia and of the U.S. are disgusted by these kinds of tactics," she said. "It is sexist and it is wrong, regardless of political party."

The 28-year-old mother pointed fingers at her Republican rival.

"Yesterday, we started our 1st radio advertisements calling my opponent out for not debating the issues," she said in the statement. "A few hours later, this smear campaign started against me, posted by a blogger with close ties to my opponent's campaign and the local Republican party."

Wittman's campaign, however, has denied being involved in the leak of the racy photos.

"Rob is adamantly opposed to their display, and we have asked that they be removed so that we can continue to discuss the issues," his campaign manager, Casey Werderman, said in a statement.