Former Gov. Tim Kaine (D), who is running for an open Senate seat, issued a harsh rebuke of a Republican-aligned outside group that launched three ads against him Tuesday, the anniversary of 9/11.

A Crossroads GPS spokesman said in a release that the $1 million ad campaign highlights the areas in which Kaine is out of step with Virginia, including on issues such as education and the defense industry.

In response, the Kaine campaign released a statement regarding the timing of the latest round of ads, rather than its routine fact-check.

“Both presidential campaigns rightly suspended negative ads today,” Kaine said in a statement. “It is a sad reflection of the divisiveness of our politics that outside groups like Crossroads GPS cannot set aside false partisan attacks even as our elected officials and citizens of all walks of life, political parties, and religious faiths join together to honor the dead, thank our first responders and service members, and celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as a nation.”

Kaine said last week during remarks to the Virginia delegation to the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C., that he’s seen around $10 million in negative attacks against him from outside groups already this cycle, as Virginia has become pivotal to control of the Senate.

Kaine is running against former Sen. and Gov. George Allen (R).