Paul unveils new campaign ad, first of season to hit Perry

Chris Moody
·Political Reporter

Texas Rep. Ron Paul unveiled a 60-second campaign ad Tuesday that touts the Republican presidential candidate's early support of Ronald Reagan and takes the first TV shot of the election cycle at rival Texas Gov. Rick Perry for his support of Al Gore's presidential campaign in the 1980s.

"After Reagan, Senator Al Gore ran for president, pledging to raise taxes and increase spending, pushing his liberal values," the ad says. "And Al Gore found a cheerleader in Texas, Rick Perry. Rick Perry helped lead Al Gore's campaign to undo the Reagan revolution, fighting to elect Al Gore as president of the United States."

Paul's six-figure ad buy will run in Iowa and New Hampshire, and arrives the day before he will square off with Perry at a Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. You can see the ad below:

Perry endorsed Gore's presidential campaign in 1988 when he was a Democrat in the Texas legislature, serving as the Texas state chairman for Gore's campaign. Perry switched parties a year later and has backtracked on his support for Gore.

"I came to my senses," Perry has said since.

Paul's ad is the first from a candidate to hit Perry directly--but a non-affiliated political action committee supporting Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann went after the Texas governor last week.