Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) is featured in a new ad for Republican Mark Amodei that launched Thursday — two days ahead of the start of early voting in the 2nd district special election and as outside groups increase their spending in the race.

Amodei is running against state Treasurer Kate Marshall (D) in the race to replace appointed Sen. Dean Heller (R). The Amodei ad will air alongside ads from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which has now spent $528,000 on independent expenditures targeting Marshall’s record in office and tying her to national Democratic leaders.

American Crossroads, a Republican political action committee, is also spending nearly $120,000 on IEs in the district for website and Web video production, online advertising, and postage printing and production, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday.

The outside spending indicates Republicans are concerned about the Sept. 13 contest, though no outside Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, have spent any significant funds there. Unlike many of the negative ads running in the district, the new ad from the Amodei campaign is a positive spot from the governor encouraging voters to go to the polls in what is expected to be a low-turnout election.

“Times like these require principled leadership. That’s why I’m encouraging you to send Mark Amodei to Congress,” Sandoval says in the ad. “We need fiscal conservatives in Congress like no other time in our history. I know Mark — he’ll cut the debt, fight against higher taxes, and I’m confident he’ll always do the right thing for Nevada. Early voting begins Aug. 27. Please join me in voting for Mark Amodei.”

A spokesman for the Amodei campaign did not immediately have details on the size of the new ad buy.

View the Amodei ad: