Update

Democrat Frank Kratovil is a "tax and spend liberal" just like Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore), according to "Jim the Plumber," the star of a new ad from Republican Andy Harris.

"Frank Kratovil doesn't understand guys like me," Jim says in the campaign ad, and he is backed up by a chorus of others.

"Just like O'Malley," says a woman.

"I can't afford any more taxes," says a man.

"I can't afford Kratovil," says another man.

"I'm a Democrat and I'm voting for Andy Harris," says a woman.

"Andy Harris," adds Jim "the Plumber" Berndt, who also serves as a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee.

Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville is competing with Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney, for Maryland's open 1st Congressional District seat.

Kevin Lawlor, Kratovil's press secretary, says instead of "retraining McCain's rhetoric" the Harris campaign should "come clean about why he continues to run an ad he knows in completely false." Lawlor was referring an earlier Harris ad which claimed Kratovil had said the economic crisis was solved.

Kratovil and Harris both launched television ads Tuesday targeting independent and undecided voters. A recent poll suggests the race is extremely close, but a swath of voters remain undecided.

The race is now ranked the 25th most competitive U.S. House race in the nation on Politicker.com's Pindell Report.

Politicker.com's Managing Editor James Pindell lists the race as "Leans Republican."