Republican Kenny Hulshof has tapped one of his top advisors to fire back at an ad from Democratic rival Jay Nixon.

Renee Hulshof, the candidate’s wife, sent out an e-mail to supporters today, offering a response to a Nixon commercial that challenges her husband’s economic acumen.

“Many of you have been asking for a little ammunition to fight back on Jay Nixon’s latest misleading and deceptive attack ad,” Renee Hulshof writes. “I hope this “truth watch” helps you when you talk to your family and friends!”

For instance, Renee takes issue with a line in the Nixon ad, quoting Hulshof as saying — in February — the “state economy continues to be strong.”

“In February, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent. By July, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent. In January 2008, 3,300 new jobs were created in Missouri, bringing the total new jobs created to that time from January 2005 to nearly 100,000 new jobs,” Renee writes.”Within the context of what was happening at the time, Kenny was correct! “

Of course, it’s not as though the Hulshof campaign has gone to great lengths to provide context in its attack pieces on Nixon — as colleague Tony Messenger pointed out earlier.

Paging Mrs. Nixon: Any response?