Politico notes that Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin (R-Paulden), who is in a three-way primary for the chance to challenge Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-CD1) this fall, used the specter of Benghazi in a fundraising email yesterday.

Tobin's pitch comes against the advice of House Select Committee on Benghazi chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who says he has "never sought to raise a single penny on the backs of four murdered Americans.”

The Politico story:

Appearing on “Morning Joe,” the South Carolina Republican was asked by co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski whether he would ask members of the GOP not to ask supporters for campaign cash by appealing to the September 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya.

“Yes, and I will cite myself as an example,” Gowdy said. “I have never sought to raise a single penny on the backs of four murdered Americans.”

Gowdy, in a similar statement to one he made on Fox News on Tuesday, said the Benghazi investigation should remain above the political fray.

“There are still, even in a culture of hyper-partisanship, certain things that ought to be above politics,” he continued, “like the murder of our four fellow Americans and like whether or not you can trust what any administration — Republican or Democrat — tells you in the aftermath of a tragedy. That, to me, transcends politics.”

Andy Tobin, the speaker of the Arizona state House of Representatives who is challenging Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick for the congressional seat for the state’s first district, came under fire on Tuesday for a fundraising email he sent to supporters that invoked the Benghazi attacks.

Tobin spokesman Craig Handzlik brushed off the controversy in an email to Tucson Weekly:

"Arizonans and Americans will never get answers on this issue if Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House again," Handzlik said. "This race will determine if that happens. Our campaign is committed to ensuring there is a check and balance on the Obama administration, which Ann Kirkpatrick is not providing."

Here's the text of the Tobin email:

Friend,

Twenty months after the terrorist attacks on Benghazi, which left four Americans dead, the White House is still covering up vital information about what happened that night. If you remember, Barack Obama was in the midst of campaigning for reelection. Coincidence?

Americans were not fooled then and, despite the Obama Administration’s best efforts, we are still not fooled. Rep. Trey Gowdy being named to lead the House Select Committee on Benghazi is a very encouraging development.

Arizona’s 1st Congressional District needs a battle-tested representative in Congress who will faithfully represent your voice, who will fight for your conservative values and who will always seek to uncover the truth.

Please take a moment right now to donate what you can to my campaign!