Republican Josh Mandel has launched his first TV ad in his quest to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.
The biographical ad, titled "Boots," will appear on broadcast and cable outlets across Ohio starting on Wednesday. It focuses on Mandel's two tours of duty in Iraq as a U.S. Marine.
The 30-second spot doesn't mention that Mandel is Ohio's state treasurer. A Brown campaign spokeswoman said Mandel timed the ad to distract from recent unfavorable press he's received over hiring and giving raises to friends. During his 2010 campaign for treasurer, Mandel criticized his predecessor for engaging in cronyism.
Brown, leading in polls, told supporters in an immediate fundraising appeal that Mandel spent $580,000 on the ad buy. A campaign spokesman for Mandel declined to confirm the figure.