Story Published: Oct 4, 2008 at 12:28 PM PST

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 2:21 AM PST

SALEM, Ore. (AP) _ Republican U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith is airing a new TV ad touting his support for a law to protect gays from hate crimes.

The campaign ad highlights Smith's work with Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts on the legislation, which would broaden the federal hate crimes law to cover violence against gays and lesbians.

It's the latest TV spot by Smith in which he promotes his record of working with Democrats on key issues.

Basic Rights Oregon, the state's largest gay rights organization, objected to the ad, largely on grounds that Smith continues to oppose gay marriage at both the state and federal levels.

Smith first co-sponsored the hate crimes bill with Kennedy in 1999, a year after Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student, was beaten to death in Wyoming in what authorities later determined was a hate crime.

The new TV ad by Smith, who's in a tough re-election battle with Democrat Jeff Merkley, contains a video image of Kennedy as the announcer talks of "two senators ... one Democrat, one Republican ... fighting together for the Matthew Shepard Bill."

The hate crimes legislation has never gained full congressional approval.

Basic Rights Oregon, which backed Smith's Democratic challenger in 2002, on Friday took Smith to task for supporting a federal law that defines marriage as between one man and one woman.

"Worst of all, Gordon Smith was a poster child for 2004's Measure 36, a (state) constitutional amendment that made gay Oregonians second-class citizens under the law by denying committed couples the security and dignity of marriage," said Jeana Frazzini, the group's executive director.

Matthew Shepard's mother, Judy Shepard, defended Smith on Friday.

"I support Gordon. He's been with us on everything except the gay marriage vote," said Shepard, who considers Smith a friend. "He has shown tremendous leadership and compassion for all of our legislation. To lose that would be terrible."