By Patrick Condon

Republican candidate for governor Jeff Johnson has released his first broadcast television ad of the campaign, a 30-second spot that mixes gentle family humor with a few swipes at Gov. Mark Dayton.

The ad titled "Accountable" is set to start airing Thursday on broadcast and cable stations statewide. Spokesman Jeff Bakken would not reveal how much the Johnson campaign spent on the ad, but called it "substantial."

"If people are watching TV tomorrow, they'll see it," Bakken said.

Dayton, the DFL incumbent, started airing his first TV ad on Tuesday, a hockey-themed ad that touts achievements of his first term.

Johnson's ad opens in the kitchen of his family's home in Plymouth, his wife and sons standing nearby. He talks about his proposal to audit every state program. "I'm pretty thorough," Johnson says, which he illustrates in a series of light-hearted clips: monitoring one son's lawnmowing job; double-checking the other son's homework; and accusing the family dog of chewing up a football.

Johnson, a Hennepin County commissioner, then shifts to political jabs: "Mark Dayton should be held accountable for wasting our money." He notes two examples: a state Senate office building now under construction next to the Capitol, and bonuses last year that went to managers at MNsure.

Dayton did sign legislation that authorized the office building project, although he had criticized initial plans as too lavish, and they were scaled back. On the MNsure bonuses, Dayton noted those were not his decisions, although he did sign the legislation that created MNsure in the first place. He said recently he would not support bonuses this year for any MNsure employees.

In response to Johnson's ad, the Dayton campaign hit back at some of the Republican's votes when he served in the Legislature. "If you audit Commissioner Johnson's record, you'll find he consistently voted for budget gimmicks and shifts," said campaign spokesman Jeremy Drucker. That's in contrast to Dayton, Drucker said: "Governor Dayton's administration turned a $6 billion deficit into a $1.2 billion surplus."

Johnson's ad comes a day after both campaigns released their most recent fundraising totals. They showed Johnson had narrowed the financial gap with Dayton, although the incumbent retains an advantage.

The TV ad should help address what's been one of Johnson's key challenges, lack of name recognition. A recent Star Tribune poll found that nearly three-fourths of respondents had either never heard of him, or had no opinion of him.

Bakken said Johnson would air more TV ads. The Dayton campaign has also said more ads are planned.

The Johnson ad can be viewed here. Dayton's first ad can be viewed here.

(Updated to add comment from Dayton campaign.)