American Crossroads has upped the ante in the special election for Nevada’s 2nd district, announcing Thursday a $250,000 independent expenditure to help Republican Mark Amodei keep the seat in GOP hands.

Working in opposition of Democratic state Treasurer Kate Marshall, the Republican political action committee is spending the money on voter contact initiatives that include direct mail, phone banking and internet advertising in promotion of its new website, MeetKateMarshall.com, and a Web ad that slams Marshall for the state losing “$25 million investing with a failed Wall Street bank.”

“Kate Marshall and Barack Obama both share the notorious ability to make taxpayer money disappear into thin air — Obama through bad policies and Marshall through bad management,” American Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio said in a statement. “The last thing Nevadans need is to elect a rubber stamp like Kate Marshall to help Barack Obama make the economy even worse.”

Adding to the $528,000 the National Republican Congressional Committee has already spent on the race, the GOP is investing close to $800,000 to hold a seat that normally leans Republican. No Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic super PAC House Majority PAC, appear likely to spend for the special. Early voting begins in just two days.

Watch the ad: