COLUMBIA, S.C. - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim DeMint talks about empowering South Carolinians in a new television campaign ad launched on Thursday.

"Opportunity comes when we empower people," DeMint says in the 30-second spot, which will air in every market across the state. "Create opportunity, hope and optimism flourish, families are strengthened and our future is more secure."

This is DeMint's first ad since he won his party's nomination last month. The three-term congressman spent about $2.5 million on advertisements during the six-way Republican primary and runoff.

That number is expected to be even higher in the contest between DeMint and Democrat Inez Tenenbaum to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings. "It's going to be a lot more," DeMint's campaign manager Terry Sullivan said.

Tenenbaum's first ad hit the airwaves on Monday to debunk an attack by a GOP-leaning group that claims she supports higher taxes. The state education superintendent denies the claims and says she's "tired of untrue, political attack ads."

In a campaign e-mail sent to supporters, Tenenbaum asks for at least $350,000 in donations to keep her ad running. An e-mail on Thursday said she had raised nearly $52,000.