Rick Scott airs new campaign TV ad in Spanish

Gov. Rick Scott has a new TV ad in his U.S. Senate campaign that emphasizes his ties to Puerto Rican voters.

The ad is running in Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando, two critical TV markets on the I-4 corridor.

It will exaggerate the advertising spending gap between the Republican governor and his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

The 30-second spot, in Spanish, features words of praise from Jeannie Calderin, a Tampa Bay resident who says of the Republican governor: "When Puerto Ricans needed the help, he was the first to be there."

Calderin is active in Tampa Underground, a group of micro-churches in Tampa Bay. It's Scott's second TV ad in Spanish.

One image from the spot is from a state event Scott did last September in Kissimmee after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and local leaders were preparing for an influx of hurricane refugees while also speeding relief supplies to the island. Details on that event can be found here.

Both political parties have targeted newly-arriving Puerto Ricans. They lean Democratic in a battleground state with a long history of close elections. But experts say initial expectations of a huge influx were overstated.

Scott's campaign did not immediately release details on how long the new ad will run. Nelson has not aired a TV ad yet.