Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D) has a friend in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC’s independent expenditure arm has made its first advertisement buy of the general election season against his opponent, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R).

The ad targets Barletta, who earned national recognition for enacting strict anti-illegal-immigration ordinances in his town.

“George Bush has a friend in Pennsylvania — Lou Barletta,” an announcer says in the ad. “Barletta supported Bush’s failed economic policies, Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent. Barletta [even] helped lead Bush’s campaign in Pennsylvania. And both have supported privatizing Social Security, putting our retirement at risk. Lou Barletta. He may be George Bush’s friend. But he’s no friend of the middle class.”

A poll released by Barletta’s campaign last month showed the Republican leading Kanjorski, 47 percent to 42 percent, with a margin of error of 4.9 points.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain said the ad is proof that Washington Democrats are worried about Kanjorski.

“Representing everything that is wrong with Washington tends to make a politician vulnerable,” Spain said.