Palmetto State Dems Buy Anti-Romney Ad in Hotly Contested N.C.

With South Carolina fairly certain to vote for Mitt Romney (), both Democrats and Republicans in the Palmetto State have set their sights on North Carolina, where polls show the race between Romney and President Obama to be a virtual dead heat. 

This week, the South Carolina Democratic Party paid more than $18,000 for a television ad to run this weekend in Charlotte, which also will host next month's Democratic National Convention.

The spot shows Romney talking about gun control while campaigning for governor of Massachusetts. The ad buy came as Romney appeared in Charlotte for a fundraiser. He's scheduled for a Greenville .

Last week, to attend rallies held by Romney — including one of the first where he appeared with newly minted VP choice Paul Ryan. The SCGOP has also helped out at phone banks and other get-out-the-vote efforts in the two weeks since offices opened in North Carolina.

Despite being a reliable red state in presidential elections, North Carolina voters narrowly picked Obama against Republican Sen. John McCain in 2008, helping Obama seal his historic win.

In a side note: Savvy viewers of the Democrats' ad will note a spelling error about ten seconds in. SCDP Chair Dick Harpootlian told The State newspaper that it will be corrected before airing.