Norton's GOP opponents on the air

The airwaves are starting to light up in Colorado’s GOP Senate primary, and much of it isn’t benefiting former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton.

The conservative Declaration Alliance is up with TV and radio ads (see TV ad above) labeling Norton a liberal, big-government bureaucrat. The buys total about $47,000, according to sources.

And self-funding former state Sen. Tom Wiens is up with his own $10,000 radio buy in the Denver and Colorado Springs markets.

Norton herself, of course, went up with a TV ad during President Barack Obama’s recent campaign visit for Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

The early ad buys are significant in a state where the primary isn’t being held until August. The precinct caucuses begin next month, though, and Norton’s opponents will likely try to take a bite out of her there.

UPDATE: The Norton campaign's response: "First and foremost, the Declaration ads are patently false. Jane Norton cut spending in both of her government positions, unlike Ken Buck, who has ballooned his budget by 50 percent since becoming (Weld County District Attorney). But the overarching issue here is that it's unfortunate that Tom Wiens and Ken Buck's supporters would rather attack a fellow conservative than focus on the overspending in Washington."