WASHINGTON — National Republicans have launched an ad campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, the latest sign the GOP is serious about its intention to target him early and often ahead of this fall’s elections.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is spending $41,000 on a week-long ad buy in the Fargo television market. The ad will start running on Thursday. The NRCC had previously named Peterson one of their top targets in Minnesota, along with Tim Walz.

The spot accuses Peterson of having changed his position on key issues, specifically federal spending and President Obama’s health care reform measures. The bill hits Peterson for voting against the GOP’s 2012 budget resolution and a Republican-lead effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

 The NRCC’s ad coincides with this weekend’s 7^th District Republican endorsing convention. Two Republicans — Lee Byberg and state Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, are seeking the party’s endorsement in the race.

Peterson is a moderate Blue Dog Democrat in a Republican-leaning district, but his position as the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee has endeared him to both voters and fundraisers. He beat Byberg by 17 points in the 2010 general election, and he had nearly $550,000 more cash on hand than Byberg in December. Hoffman announced her congressional campaign in February and will file her first fundraising report after the current quarter ends on Saturday.

Here's the ad:

Devin Henry can be reached at dhenry@minnpost.com. Follow him on Twitter: @dhenry