Click here to watch "DeSoto."

Missouri gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon (D) invites viewers of his new ad (subscription) to ride along with him through his hometown of DeSoto, Mo. The 60-second biographical spot is the state attorney general’s first ad of the election; he’s been watching from afar as Rep. Kenny Hulshof and state Treasurer Sarah Steelman squabble in the increasingly bitter GOP primary. (Steelman fired another volley (subscription) today.)

"I spent my days Scouting and playing ball right here at DeSoto High. There’s where we went to church," Nixon says. "… We lived right across the hill here. I met my wife Georgeanne at Mizzou and we’re thrilled our boys are following in our footsteps."

Nixon goes on to explain how his roots in DeSoto have helped him as attorney general while also preparing him to be governor. He touches on various topics, including health care, his telemarketing no-call list and property taxes. He concludes by reiterating his appreciation for the small-town life he had growing up. "I want to make it so our kids and grandkids can come home, back here to small towns in Missouri, and have the same kind of life we did."

Meanwhile, the back-and-forth between the Republicans continues with Steelman’s new ad berating Hulshof for wasteful spending, something she has done in earlier attack ads. "Politicians use our money to buy their power and influence. You use it to buy milk and gas,” Steelman tells viewers. “Politicians call it taxpayer money. I’m a mom -- I call it your money. As governor, my plan will put you first.”

The attacks and counter-attacks haven't gotten either GOP candidate very far. They’re each almost 20 percentage points behind in individual match-ups with Nixon, according to a new St. Louis Post-Dispatch/KMOV-TV poll.