Democratic Rep. John Spratt’s first campaign ad is up in South Carolina’s 5th district, a little over a week after his Republican challenger, state Sen. Mick Mulvaney, went on air with his own opening ad.

Spratt has said that his best path to winning this fall in his battleground district lies in reminding voters how he’s helped them over his 14 terms in Congress. His first campaign spot, which is up on broadcast television, seems to follow that strategy. Spratt’s ad features employees from local businesses discussing how the Congressman has helped South Carolina and is fighting for his district’s interests on Capitol Hill.

“North Carolina wanted I-73 to come through their state. John Spratt fought to make sure it came through our area,” Andy Rogers of Palmetto Brick says in the ad.

Mulvaney’s first ad is a biographical spot that also touches on the controversial health care reform effort. Republicans are hoping to nationalize the race against the Budget Committee chairman and make the contest a referendum on his support of a Democratic agenda that includes health care, cap-and-trade and the stimulus legislation.