8th congressional district challenger Kathy Boockvar sent out a fundraising email to supporters Friday after conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh called a female college student a “slut” for supporting the contraceptive coverage mandate.

“Just when you thought Rush Limbaugh couldn’t be more insulting to women, he has sunk to a new low,” Boockvar wrote in an email to supporters. “These are part of a pattern of recent attacks on women that have no place anywhere, and yet remarkably, began in the halls of Congress. I am disgusted at the failure of Republicans in Congress to condemn them.”

Limbaugh singled out Georgetown student Sandra Fluke on his Wednesday show. Fluke spoke at an unofficial hearing last week convened by the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She testified about her inability to obtain contraceptive coverage from her university, which is Catholic. Limbaugh said of Fluke:

“What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke [sic] who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex — what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She’s having so much sex she can’t afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex.”

After intense scrutiny, Limbaugh apologized to Fluke on his website Saturday. Republicans have, by and large, have either condemned Limbaugh’s comments or distanced themselves from him.

Boockvar is an attorney from Bucks County who has made women’s rights a centerpiece of her career and her campaign. She’s challenging Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) in what is shaping up to be Pa.’s top congressional race in 2012. She pounced early Friday afternoon with a fundraising ask.

“I’m ready to take this fight to Washington but I need your help. We are less than 30 days from the first major fundraising deadline of this campaign, a key test of our strength. Can you make a contribution of $25, $100, $500 or the most you can give today?” she asked.

Boockvar isn’t alone. According to the Huffington Post, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says that their pro-contraception access “War on Women Campaign” has received strong support, raising $1.1 million in the last week.

After House Democrats sent the Speaker of the House a letter asking him to condemn Limbaugh, John Boehner’s office obliged with a statement that still managed to take a swipe at Democrats like Boockvar.

“The speaker obviously believes the use of those words was inappropriate, as is trying to raise money off the situation,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in an e-mail to Politico Friday morning.

Fitzpatrick declined to comment.

However, as Politico reports, both parties are using this polarizing topic to round up campaign funds.

“Democrats have inserted themselves into your healthcare and now they want to insert their values into your religion,” Guy Harrison, the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee wrote in a February fundraising e-mail.

Update: 6th district hopeful Manan Trivedi, running against Rep. Jim Gerlach, is joining the party. His campaign sent a similar fundraising email at 11am this morning from Kate Michelman, the President Emerita of NARAL Pro-Choice America. She wrote:

Whether it’s preventing women from obtaining contraception or forcing women to have a “trans-vaginal ultrasound” to a right wing shock jock like Rush Limbaugh calling a woman a “slut”, there is one common thread when it comes to the race for Congress in the PA 6th:

Rep. Jim Gerlach never stands up for women. Never.

But with my friend Dr. Manan Trivedi, women will always know they have someone who will protect their health and defend their rights.

I can’t think of a more important reason to support Manan. Can you join me by chipping in a $16 contribution today?