By Kyle Trygstad

Posted August 20, 2014 at 12:13pm

Alaska’s newly minted Republican Senate nominee will awake the morning after his primary victory to a negative TV ad from a Democratic super PAC.

Put Alaska First, a group formed to support Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, launched an ad Wednesday against Republican Dan Sullivan targeting his lack of Alaska roots and using a controversial mining project in the state as a wedge issue.

“There’s two things you need to know about Dan Sullivan,” a Dillingham, Alaska, resident says in the ad, which is airing statewide on broadcast and cable. “He’s not from Alaska, and he supports the Pebble Mine.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoaOnwViC8I

The Pebble Mine is one of a trio of initiatives that will grace the general-election ballot and are expected to drive up turnout among single-issue voters potentially more likely to support Begich.

Sullivan defeated 2010 Senate nominee Joe Miller and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell in Tuesday’s primary. Republicans believe they have their strongest possible candidate to take on Begich, who is one of the most vulnerable senators .

The race is rated Tilts Democratic by the Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.