Click here to listen to "Nuestro Propio Camino."

Barack Obama has established a firm lead over John McCain among Latino voters in recent polling, but the Illinois senator is not letting up in his efforts to court them. He has recently attended events of three national Latino groups -- the National Council of La Raza, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials -- and on Wednesday his campaign launched its first Spanish-language ad of the general election.

"Nuestro Propio Camino" (subscription), a radio spot, relates Obama's background to the experience of the Hispanic community. "Some people have power and connections, but most of us have to make our own way through life," the ad begins. An announcer tells how Obama was raised by his mother and his grandparents because his father left and how the candidate worked his way through college. "Obama never forgot his roots," the announcer continues, working “with churches to help families get job training and after-school care for their children."

The spot goes on to emphasize what Obama has done and could do in the future for Latinos: "Despite the political pressure, Obama has stood with us for immigration reform and spoke out for our veterans." Suggesting that an Obama administration would open up doors for the Hispanic community, the announcer concludes: "It’s time we had a president who understands we all deserve a chance to make our own way."

Latino Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., an Obama supporter who has led efforts in the House to reform the country's immigration laws, said on a conference call announcing the ad that Obama "not only has stood with us… but he is one of us. He knows our experience. His values are our values. His experiences are our experiences." He added that, for the first time in U.S. history, Latinos "can feel very good" because the man in the White House "will be someone who can relate to our experiences from birth."

The ad is running in four swing states where the Latino vote could prove crucial -- Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Florida.

McCain, meanwhile, has run several Spanish-language ads throughout the cycle, including his first ad of the general -- a radio spot that discusses how McCain can ease the economic woes of many Hispanics. In other spots, McCain praises Latinos for their service in the U.S. military; the senator's Hispanic roommate from the Naval Academy assures listeners that McCain shares their values; and a former Florida economic official touts McCain's support for a free-trade pact with Colombia.