McDonnell releases new TV ad

Bob McDonnell's PAC has a new TV ad out that's presumably aimed at repairing a dip in his approval ratings.

It's odd, because he's termed out in 2013 and won't be facing a reelection battle. So who cares about approval numbers?

Well, for starters, a bad approval rating affects your ability to execute your agenda. McDonnell's legacy will impact a future senatorial bid or run for national office, and it helps to have as much political capital as possible.

Second, it might be designed to bolster his image in the months leading up to Romney's vice-presidential pick. It's no secret that McDonnell wants the position.

Still, running an ad like this looks kind of like a panic move and a little weak. It certainly doesn't project strength or confidence.

And... it's odd that he's even a little worried about his approval ratings. Sure, they've fallen, but in the most recent Quinnipiac poll, they stood at +21%, including +20% with indies. And even women, who were supposedly going to abandon him over the ultrasound controversy, approved of his job by +15%. Running an ad in the context of that poll makes McDonnell look a little politically paranoid.

The big question: does his team sense a really bad shift in public opinion -- one that Quinnipiac failed to pick up?

UPDATE: Sam Stein reports that the PAC is spending $370K on air-time.