COLUMBIA, S.C. - New radio ads airing on urban and gospel radio stations in South Carolina will play up Democratic presidential contender Joe Lieberman as a "man of faith."

It is the first time Lieberman, a U.S. senator from Connecticut, has brought up the issue of religion in campaign ads. Lieberman is Jewish.

But three black South Carolina lawmakers, who are appearing in the ads supporting Lieberman, say the issue is not which religion Lieberman practices, just that his faith is a big part of who he is.

"There is no question that faith plays a significant role in his life, but the deciding factor will be that he will enforce the Constitution of the United States and that he will be a president who will look at the issues based on their merits," said state Rep. Fletcher Smith, D-Greenville. "His faith only adds to the conviction that he will have once he makes a decision."

Rep. Mack Hines, D-Florence and a Baptist minister, is in the ad that will air on gospel stations statewide. In the ad, Hines tells listeners that he is pastor of Saint Paul's Baptist Church and that Lieberman "is a man of strong faith and rock solid integrity and that's what we need in a president." At the end of the ad, Hines says, "This is reverend Mack Hines."

The ads also play up the jobs losses in South Carolina in recent years and say that Lieberman has a plan to put everyone back to work.

The ads also say "Lieberman will continue to work with leaders like Jim Clyburn to improve education for all students and provide additional funding for historically black colleges and universities."

Clyburn, South Carolina's only black congressman, has endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Missouri, in the eight-man race for the Democratic nomination.