The Montana Republican Party has launched a TV ad that highlights Rep. Denny Rehberg’s independence from the GOP on Capitol Hill.

The message comes on the heels of Rehberg’s latest ad that also sought to differentiate the Congressman from the rest of his Republican colleagues and spotlight his standing for Montanans ahead of his party. It’s also a response to a recent ad against Rehberg by the state Democratic Party.

Rehberg is challenging Sen. Jon Tester (D) in one of the most competitive races in the country.

The new ad touts Rehberg’s vote against the GOP budget, saying it “could harm the Medicare plan that so many of Montana’s seniors rely on.”

“Washington, D.C., is a partisan town. Both political parties refuse to work together,” the ad’s announcer says. “But Denny Rehberg is different. An independent thinker, Rehberg refuses to toe the party line. Rehberg opposed his party, voting against the Central American Free Trade Agreement, against President Bush’s Wall Street bailout, and Rehberg refused to support a Republican budget plan that could harm the Medicare plan that so many of Montana’s seniors rely on. In a very partisan town, Denny Rehberg stands out. And that’s good for Montana.”

According to sources with knowledge of the buy, the state party spent about $196,000 to run the TV ad statewide for a week at more than 1,000 gross ratings points. Montana GOP Executive Director Bowen Greenwood said the National Republican Senatorial Committee recently made a donation to the state party, but an NRSC spokesman declined to comment.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recently transferred money to the Montana Democratic Party to run a TV ad on behalf of Tester.

The state Republican Party also announced a radio ad that focuses more on Tester, tying him to President Barack Obama and his votes for Democratic policies. Greenwood was not sure whether that ad was on the air yet.

Roll Call rates this race as a Tossup.