Mandel highlights military training in first Senate ad

Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) launched the first television ad of his campaign to unseat Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Wednesday, drawing heavily on his military background as he works to introduce himself to Ohio voters.

Mandel’s campaign said the ad would air statewide on broadcast and cable for “an extended period of time," but did not disclose the size of the buy. A source said Mandel's campaign had reserved about $540,000 in airtime in Ohio markets starting Wednesday and Thursday.

“Grandson of a soldier and a blue-collar laborer, Josh Mandel served two tours in Iraq and came home to protect our tax dollars,” says the narrator in the ad. “Now Washington is broken and needs new leaders, and this Marine is ready to answer the call.”

The 30-second spot shows Mandel lacing up his boots, as if preparing for battle.

Mandel, a fresh-faced former state lawmaker and first-term treasurer, has attracted the attention of major Republican figures, including Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.) and Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Jim DeMint (S.C.), whose Senate Conservatives Fund is also backing Mandel. McCain and Christie traveled to Ohio on Monday to campaign for Mandel.

Although Mandel hasn’t yet been on the air, conservative groups backing him have unleashed more than $5 million in ads attacking Brown, revealing the high priority that Republicans place on capturing the seat from Brown. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the 60 Plus Association and Crossroads have all run ads targeting Brown.

Mandel is still working to build his name recognition in the state, and a major ad buy could go a long way toward introducing him to voters. Polling shows Brown with a double-digit lead over Mandel, but also suggests that Mandel is starting to close the gap.

"Following weeks of negative press regarding Josh Mandel's decision to surround himself with unqualified political cronies in the treasurer's office, it's no surprise that Mandel's forced to go on air in an effort to distract from the fact that he's not doing his job, can't be trusted and has spent the last year pushing an anti-middle-class agenda," said Brown spokesman Justin Barasky.

The Hill rates this race as leaning Democratic.

Watch the ad:

- This story was posted at 9:45 a.m. and has been updated.