The Democratic candidate for U.S. senate, Rick Noriega, started airing his first TV ad of the campaign this week.

The commercial takes aim at the bailout vote in congress and Republican opponent John Cornyn who voted for it.

The Noriega ad centers on voters' huge disapproval of congress and the $700 billion rescue bill.

Noriega starts saying, “Like you, I'm fed up with Washington politicians, who work day and night to bail out special interests.”

Noriega is at odds, though, with most Democratic senators.

Forty of them supported the bill, including Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama.

Noriega goes on to say in the ad, “But ignore Texas families. Who've lost their homes, their savings and struggle to pay for groceries and gas.”

Texas families are hurting as the economy weakens.

But not just Washington and special interests are to blame.

Www.factcheck.org points out, "As The Economist magazine noted recently, the problem is one of "layered irresponsibility with hard-working homeowners and billionaire villains each playing a role."

“John Cornyn has failed Texas families,” Noriega intones.

But a senator gets but one vote, even when there are parts good and bad.

In voting for the bailout, Cornyn also supported federal tax breaks that were part of the bill, so Texans could get the state sales tax deduction and for 732,000 Texas families, avoid the alternative minimum tax, or AMT tax.

Noriega's explanation how he opposes the bill but is for the tax breaks, “That should never have been the carrot hanging over this particular issue to begin with. But it would've been part of the bill and you would've voted against the bill? I would have. But, that, that, should have been voted on as a separate item.”

With less money than Cornyn, Noriega's challenge is to get his message to voters to make an impact.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.