Click here to watch "Values."

The two leading Republicans in the Missouri governor's race, which is wide open after Gov. Matt Blunt (R) announced in January he wasn't running for re-election, released their first ads last week, both focusing on traditional conservative values and faith-based issues.

Rep. Kenny Hulshof of Missouri's 9th District debuted with "Blessed" (subscription), which shows the congressman driving a pickup truck around rural parts of the state. "It takes faith to be a farmer, and a lot of hard work," Hulshof says. He talks about what he's learned "growing up in the Boot Hill" and concludes by emphasizing that "the basic moral strength of our people -- that's the foundation of our future."

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman also underscores conventional conservative values in her new ad, aptly titled "Values" (subscription). Steelman begins by asserting the importance of family, discussing her various roles as daughter, mother and wife. She then details her conservative credentials: "I worked to ban partial-birth abortion and wrote the amendment that protects marriage in Missouri."

Hulshof campaign spokesman Scott Baker said "Blessed" is targeted at conservative voters in Southwest Missouri who may not know the congressman yet. "The goal was to give people a glimpse of what makes the man -- his priorities, his moral beliefs and the things that matter to him," Baker said. The campaign hopes to distribute the ad on a wider basis in the near future, hopefully throughout the state.

Spence Jackson, spokesman for the Steelman campaign, said the purpose of "Values" is to help voters identify with the candidate. "We chose that ad because we felt it was important to re-emphasize the traditional values Sarah shares with Missourians," Jackson said in an e-mail.