Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine is reaching out to Latino and Hispanic voters in new television and radio ads in which the former governor addresses his audience in Spanish. The ads will air on Spanish-language media throughout the state.

“We think it’s the largest media buy of any state candidate in Virginia in Spanish- language media,” Kaine said in a conference call with reporters this morning.

“I truly believe that the internationalizing of Virginia in recent years is part of our success,” he said, calling the ads “just an example of the kind of outreach that we’re excited to do with new American citizens in all corners of Virginia.”

A30-second television ad unveiled today is called“Valores” (“Values”). In it,  Kaine describes his work as a missionary in Honduras and his efforts as governor on education and supporting  small and minority-owned businesses. In the ad, Kaine tells voters: “Como su senador continuaré invirtiendo en educación y apoyaré una reforma migratoria.” (“As your senator I will continue to invest in education and support immigration reform.”)

Republican George Allen’s campaign wasn’t impressed by the Kaine ad. Allen spokeswoman Emily Davis argued that the former Democratic National Committee chairman has supported economic policies that have hurt Latino Americans.

“Tim Kaine is story-telling for the votes of a Latino community disproportionately hit hard by the failed economic policies he championed,” said Allen spokeswoman Emily Davis. “Hispanics have struggled to find work and now over 2 million more live in poverty under the Obama/Kaine tax and regulate agenda.”

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a similar claim about Hispanic poverty in a web ad earlier this year. The nonpartisan PolitiFact said it is accurate that the Hispanic poverty rate increased between 2008 and 2010, but less clear that President Barack Obama’s policies were responsible for it.

– Michael Sluss