A screenshot from Michael Bennet’s first TV ad in the 2016 U.S. Senate campaign in Colorado.

Seven months before Election Day, Democrat Michael Bennet is launching his first TV ad in his U.S. Senate re-election bid.

The 30-second spot that debuts Thursday is designed to tout his record of accomplishments and define his brand early in the campaign — before his Republican rivals get a chance to do it for him. (See ad below.)

“Michael is proud of his record of finding ways to get things done for Colorado, despite the dysfunction going on in Washington,” said Andrew Zucker, who joined the Bennet campaign as spokesman Wednesday.

The early spot — part of an ongoing TV campaign in coming months — also showcases Bennet’s huge campaign cash advantage in the race. Hecampaigns about whether the NRSC is truly neutral in the race.

The NRSC — the political arm for Senate Republicans — acknowledged Thursday it hired O’Donnell as a consultant and sent him to Colorado to assess the candidates in action. His visit comes days before the first televised debate in the race and the state GOP convention, where at a handful of candidates are competing make-or-break for a spot on the June primary ballot.

In the 2014 election, U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat, and his Republican opponent , Congressman Cory Gardner, face off during a televised debate at 9News in Denver on Oct. 15. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

The announcement of the first televised debate in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate is sure to create controversy: With more than a