Click here to watch "Squeezed -- Montana."

Barack Obama may post the more impressive fundraising totals, but there's still big money riding on Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy, as evidenced by the continued efforts of the American Leadership Project, a 527 group funded by donors and labor unions that have endorsed Clinton. The ALP has run ads on her behalf in several states since its first spot debuted during the Ohio primary campaign, and on Wednesday it demonstrated continuing support for the New York senator by launching new TV ads in Montana, South Dakota and Puerto Rico.

In "Squeezed" (subscription), slightly different versions of which are airing in Montana and South Dakota, local references bring home the ad's larger point that Clinton's economic policies will directly benefit voters in each state, particularly those in the middle class "squeezed" between rising gas and food prices. The ALP is also airing a Spanish-language ad in Puerto Rico touting Clinton's bona fides on improving health care. While the island territory votes June 1, Clinton has yet to run ads there herself, possibly because recent polling shows her up significantly over Obama.

If the two ads blaze little new territory in terms of subject matter or policy proposals, they clearly signal that some of Clinton's most ardent (and monied) supporters are sticking with their candidate despite her long odds of seizing the nomination.

Not to be outdone by outside groups, Clinton herself released a new ad today, her first in Montana. "Only One" (subscription) recombines applause lines and stock footage from several of Clinton's previous ads to argue that she is "the only one in this campaign" to stand up to President Bush's energy policies and push for universal health coverage. Though ostensibly a populist pitch to Montanans, the ad's implied contrast with Obama also makes it as close to an attack spot as Clinton has dared run in recent contests.