Jon Courtney, the Republican candidate for the 1st Congressional District, announced Tuesday that he’s releasing his first television ad. 

Keith Herrick, Courtney’s campaign manager, said the initial buy totals $25,000. Recent disclosure forms at Time Warner Cable show the Courtney campaign recently made a $22,500 buy to run the ad during several cable television shows. 

Ad time on cable is significantly cheaper than network stations. An inspection of political ad buys at two Portland television stations late Monday did not include purchases for the Courtney campaign. 

Courtney has raised $37,299 and spent $17,939 of it, according to the most recent campaign finance filings with the Federal Elections Commission.

"The goal is to increase his name recognition in a positive way," Herrick said. "Jon has been traveling the district everyday and has seen that his name ID is growing quickly." 

The ad highlights Courtney’s achievements as a state senator. Courtney is the current majority leader in the state Senate. 

He’s taking on U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine. Most recent polls show Pingree with a significant lead. To this point Pingree’s campaign activity has also been limited. 

Pingree is married to financier S. Donald Sussman, the majority owner of the Portland Press Herald, Maine Sunday Telegram and other Maine Today Media newspapers.

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