The television ad emerges from a black background. Words appear on screen as a male narrator with a deep, gravely voice asks:
“Who do you trust to grow our economy as governor?”
“A career prosecutor?”
“Or a proven jobs creator?”
Treasurer Steve Grossman, looking to close the gap with gubernatorial front-runner Martha Coakley, unveiled his first campaign television ad today. It outlines his story and insinuates that he is better poised to deal with economic issues than Coakley, the state attorney general and a former district attorney.
“Steve Grossman grew a family business into a Massachusetts success story,” the narrator says, referring to Grossman Marketing Group. The ad, backed by upbeat music, also references a treasury program under Grossman that took some of the state’s reserve deposits that were in foreign banks, brought them to state banks, and encouraged them to be loaned to local small businesses. That narrator says that program “created jobs across Massachusetts.”
The ad, set to begin airing Tuesday on Boston network and cable stations, ends with a distillation of the message: “Steve Grossman, the right choice for a tough economy.”
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Surrounded by supporters, Grossman unveiled the 30-second spot at a Dorchester restaurant that he said had been supported by the loan program he established.
He said the ad offered a simple comparison between him and Coakley.
“This lays out her principal accomplishment in her career, which is that she’s a career prosecutor,” he said. “And my principal achievement during my career, which is that I’ve been a jobs creator both in the private sector [and] as treasurer.”
Grossman has consistently trailed Coakley by double digits, polling has found.
In the most recent Boston Globe poll, the attorney general held a 34-point lead, 50 percent to 16 percent, over Grossman. Donald M. Berwick, a former top federal official overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, was at 6 percent in the poll.
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Grossman’s campaign said it the ad was backed by a roughly $300,000 buy over seven days — a substantial sum that means many viewers are likely to see the spot — that included time on Boston broadcast television and local cable.
Bonnie McGilpin, a Coakley spokeswoman responded to the ad in a statement.
“Martha welcomes the opportunity to have a debate about turning our economy around for everybody...” McGilpin said.
Coakley, she said, “has a plan to grow our economy...to ensure that we build an economy that gives all of our residents a fair shot.”
Coakley, Grossman and Berwick will face off in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary.
Also running to succeed Governor Deval Patrick, who is not vying for a third term, are two Republicans and three independent candidates.
Joshua Miller can be reached at joshua.miller@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jm_bos.