Amid signs that the race to replace Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R) has become very close, state Sen. Andy Harris (R) launched a TV ad on Friday that calls his Democratic opponent, Queen Anne County State’s Attorney Frank Kratovil, too liberal, and tries to tie Kratovil with Gov. Martin O’Malley (D).

In the ad, eight unnamed people refer to Kratovil as a fan of higher taxes and more government spending. Three of them call him a liberal. The ad ends with former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R), who says, “my friend Andy Harris, he’ll make a great Congressman.”

The ad is running on broadcast and cable stations throughout the district, and it comes on the heels of two ads run by the Club for Growth in the district last week that sounded many of the same themes.

Kratovil’s bid is being boosted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which had spent $627,000 on the race through Thursday. Gilchrest, who was defeated in the GOP primary by Harris, is also backing Kratovil.