Political activist and potential 2012 presidential candidate Fred Karger released an ad in Iowa today. The spot is part of his presidential exploratory committee, and is scheduled to run on local stations for a week.

The ad shows various clips of Karger around Iowa locales, interacting with local citizens to tout his independence. It includes photos of Karger alongside politicians of various stripes, ranging from Ronald Reagan, Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kaine and Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele. The commercial concludes with Karger asking for donations as he considers a potential run for the Republican 2012 nomination.

Karger’s ad — airing far in advance of the Iowa caucus, scheduled for Feb. 2012 — is the first commercial from any potential candidate.

Watch the ad below: