The Hill News

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) released a new ad on Thursday to coincide with president Obama's town hall this evening targeting young voters.

The DNC released a new television ad, "Make History Again," to coincide with Obama's simulcast town hall on MTV, CMT, and BET as part of the party's effort to drive young voter turnout on Nov. 2.

The ad, which will be in heavy rotation on MSNBC and BET, features footage from the president's recent "Moving America Forward" rally at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Obama has been making a heavy pitch to young, first-time voters who turned out heavily in 2008 and propelled him and Democrats to victory in the 2008 election. The party is hopeful that even a fraction of that turnout will help lawmakers win key elections, and allow them to hold onto control of the House and Senate.

The ad is the first to run on BET this election cycle, and is part of a $3 million push -- the mo! st in the party's history -- in spending by the DNC to court black voters through traditionally African American media outlets.

BET is one of the three networks broadcasting the town hall meeting featuring young voters in which Obama will participate on Thursday afternoon. The event is specifically meant to target those young voters the president hopes drive to the polls.

"The ad evokes the energy, passion and enthusiasm that we’ve seen at recent rallies, at the doors, on the phones and among our volunteers," said a DNC spokeswoman. "It provides a powerful reminder of how grassroots activism and the power of everyday people can overcome the entrenched a moneyed special interests. It also lays out clearly in the president’s own words the stakes for the American people this fall.

In addition to the TV spot, the DNC will be launching a new web ad ! on the w ebsites of BET, MTV, and Comedy Central.