The Washington Post published and removed an editorial cartoon depicting Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz as an organ grinder in a Santa Claus costume with his two young daughters, Catherine and Caroline, as trained monkeys on leashes.

Inked by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes, the artist’s illustration was meant to critique Cruz's frequent use of his daughters as political props, according to The Hill.

In a Twitter post Tuesday, Telnaes noted that Cruz has used his children in ads that pointedly targeted Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama, where he warmly read his 7-year-old and 4-year-old faux holiday stories, such as "The Grinch Who Lost Her E-Mails" and "How Obamacare Stole Christmas."

The image was later removed from the website and replaced by a note from Washington Post editor Fred Hiatt.

Hiatt stated, “It’s generally been the policy of our editorial section to leave children out of it. I failed to look at this cartoon before it was published. I understand why [the cartoonist] thought an exception to the policy was warranted in this case, but I do not agree."

In response to the image, Cruz turned to Twitter.

Cruz also launched an emergency fundraisng appeal, titled "They attacked my children!" in which he called on his supporters to help him "fight back," according to USA Today.

Marco Rubio, fellow presidential candidate and father of four, tweeted that The Post's cartoon was "disgusting."

According to NBC News, Cruz spoke to a crowd in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Wednesday, saying the attack “has no place in politics.” He reiterated that kids are absolutely off limits, even stating that children belonging to Rubio, Clinton and other candidates don’t deserve ridicule.

“If the media wants to attack and ridicule every Republican, well that's what they're gonna do. But leave our kids alone," Cruz said.