Correction Appended

In a response to an ad from Americans for Prosperity, Rep. Joe Donnelly (D) continues to paint himself as an independent in a new campaign ad.

“Joe Donnelly is Indiana’s most independent Congressman,” a female narrator explains as a National Journal article is cited. “Joe opposed President [George W.] Bush’s attempts to privatize Social Security and voted against [Speaker] Nancy Pelosi’s energy tax on Hoosier families.”

The 30-second spot goes on to contrast GOP state Rep. Jackie Walorski’s positions on Social Security and the energy bill, charging her with “blindly” toeing the party line.

The Americans for Prosperity ad, which ran for almost a week earlier this month, called Donnelly’s claims of independence into question, citing his vote for “Pelosi’s budget,” “government health care” and “cuts to our seniors’ Medicare.”

An earlier Donnelly ad also sought to distance him from party leaders by showing an image of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama as Donnelly spoke about not working for “the Washington crowd.”

Walorski, one of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s highly touted “Young Guns,” has yet to air any ads in the general election.

Correction: Aug. 19, 2010

An earlier version of this item included an incorrect reference to the number of television ads the Donnelly campaign has aired.