In his campaign's first television commercial, presidential hopeful Jeb Bush takes digs not just at "D.C. politicians" but also at "self-promoters," a slight almost certainly aimed at GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

"We have an important choice to make about the direction of our country," the former Florida governor claimed in the spot that has aired since Monday in the key early-primary state of New Hampshire. "You've got options," Bush said, suggesting that he offered voters "leadership, ideas and a proven conservative record."

The campaign's initial ad buy, valued at $500,000, will also include television ads in the neighboring Massachusetts media market, Politico detailed. Some 15 percent of the budget, meanwhile, are allocated to targeted online advertising. In a statement to Latin Post about the ad, the Bush said the effort was the first "in a multi-week process where we will be expanding our advertising in New Hampshire and the other early states."

The ad highlights Bush's tax-cutting, budget-balancing record as governor.

"Anybody can talk," Bush said in the first commercial. "I've delivered, and I hope to earn your support. I'm Jeb Bush and I approve this message."

In response to the ad, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) criticized Bush's economic policies and referred to former President George W. Bush's presidency.

"Jeb Bush's economic policies are, and have always been, geared towards helping those at the very top. As governor of Florida, Jeb Bush slashed taxes by billions, largely benefitting the wealthy and corporations, and since leaving office, he has leveraged his family name to reap profits for himself and cashed in on Wall Street," said DNC spokeswoman Christina Freundlich.

She added, "We already know what to expect from a Bush presidency because we have experienced it before - disastrous economic and foreign policies that made us weaker at home and abroad. We can't afford another Bush, or the top-down Bush policies, in the White House."

Meanwhile, the pro-Bush political action committee Right to Rise plans to spend about $21 million on ads in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina from next week through December. In a commercial released last week, the nominally independent organization attacked Trump's record, alleging the tycoon had more in common with Hillary Clinton than Republicans, the Crowley Political Report noted.

But despite the attacks, Trump seems to have cemented his role as the GOP frontrunner in the critical early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, two NBC/Marist polls revealed this week.

In the Hawkeye State, Trump was backed by 29 percent of potential GOP caucus-goers, while Bush came in third at 6 percent; in the Granite State, Trump logged 28 percent support, and both Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson also topped the Floridian's 8 percent.

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