The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a multistate ad offensive today, putting up ads tied to 20 competitive congressional contests.

The individualized 30-second ads, which target 12 House contests and eight Senate races, can be viewed on the U.S. Chamber's political website.

"We're engaging earlier and more aggressively than ever to educate constituents about which leaders recognize the role free enterprise plays in leading our economic recovery," Chamber CEO and President Thomas Donohue said of the campaign, which includes 40 media markets in 16 states. "It comes down to a simple question: Is big government or free enterprise the solution to our country's economic problems?"

A U.S. Chamber spokesman declined to confirm a Wall Street Journal report today that the group spent about $10 million on the ads. He would say only that it was a multimillion-dollar buy.

The ads target candidates on issues including health care reform and general government regulation and tax policies. A duo of ads also praise candidates for their support of the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline project that would bring Canadian oil sands from Alberta to the Gulf Coast.

Candidates benefiting from the Keystone XL ads are Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), who faces a GOP primary challenge from state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, and Rep. Rick Berg (R-N.D.), who is seeking the state's open Senate seat against former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp (D).

The U.S. Chamber is also running positive ads for former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle (R), who is seeking the state's open Senate seat, and former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), who is trying to get his old job back. The business group is running a separate ad attacking Allen's opponent, former Gov. Tim Kaine (D), as well as ads attacking Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Rep. Tammy Baldwin, the Democratic candidate in Wisconsin's open Senate election.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee criticized the new ad campaign today, asserting that it runs counter to the views of local Chambers of Commerce.

"Republican Senate candidates like George Allen, [Sen.] Dean Heller [Nev.], Linda Lingle, and others fight for these special interests over the middle class, which is why this front group is propping up their campaigns," DSCC spokesman Matt Canter said in statement. "Every one of the Republican Senate candidates that is benefiting from these ads sides with private insurance companies over seniors, with big oil companies over small businesses, and with billionaires over middle class families. Voters are going to see these attacks for what they are and all the money in the world won't be able to distract from the Republican special interest agenda."

In House races, the U.S. Chamber's new ads are all positive and, except in one instance, benefit Republicans. The ads are running in the districts of Reps. Charlie Bass (R-N.H.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), Bob Dold (R-Ill.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Frank Guinta (R-N.H.), Joe Heck (R-Nev.), Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee who is facing a GOP primary challenge from a conservative former state legislator.