Republican Brad Lager beat incumbent Peter Kinder to the punch today by launching the race for lieutenant governor's first TV and radio ads.

Lager, a state senator from northwest Missouri, wastes no time and criticizes Kinder the hundreds of hotel stays across Missouri that Kinder billed to his state office. During several of these stays, records indicated Kinder engaged in personal and political business while lodging on the state’s dime.

Kinder wound up reimbursing the state for more than $54,000 to cover the cost of those stays.

Lager's campaign wouldn't say how much was being spent. But an aide did say the buy was made in all of the state's media markets.