Carolinians for Reform announced today that it will spend $230,000 on a TV ad featuring South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) defending his position to spend federal stimulus money to pay down the state's debt.

"For me the easy thing would be to accept money handed out from Washington, but the easy thing isn't always the right thing," Sanford says in the ad.

The DNC responded with a statement from spokesman Hari Sevugan.

"It's not surprising that Governor Sanford feels he needs to spend a quarter of a million dollars defending himself in a television ad after rejecting millions in funding for his state," said Sevugan. "Then again, if I had rejected $700 million for schools and public safety, I'd feel the need to go on TV and defend myself too, but that doesn't excuse Governor Sanford for putting his political ambitions ahead of the needs of South Carolinians."