he airwaves of New Hampshire are getting a little more crowded as Republican Steve Forbes begins running three new ads today and Democrat Bill Bradley's ''It can happen'' advertising campaign starts Thursday.
Bradley is the last major presidential candidate to try to reach New Hampshire voters through television. His campaign provided few details about his commercial, preferring to make that announcement today in New Jersey and Washington. But campaign sources said the ad is strictly biographical, to be followed later with an issue ad on health care.
Adweek magazine recently reported that the theme of Bradley's advertising campaign is ''It can happen,'' suggesting he can beat Vice President Al Gore for the Democratic nomination and win the general election, too.
Meanwhile, an outside Republican group began running an advertisement yesterday in New Hampshire and Iowa warning Forbes not to run negative ads. The Republican Leadership Council, a moderate group with strong ties to Texas Governor George W. Bush, said Forbes hurt the GOP with negative advertising during the 1996 primary.
''But now I see he just might start again. ... That's just going to help the Democrats,'' a character in the ad says. ''Someone needs to tell that Steve Forbes that if he doesn't have anything nice to say - don't say anything at all.''
The ad brought a quick reproach from the New Hampshire Republican chairman, Steve Duprey, who called on the group to pull the ad.
''While their goal is commendable, it is misguided since Mr. Forbes has neither done nor said anything to violate our 11th commandment,'' Duprey said. The so-called ''11th commandment'' of the GOP is that candidates should never speak ill of other Republican candidates.
''In the forums and debates Mr. Forbes has appeared in, he has compared his plans with others in a very dignified and appropriate manner,'' Duprey said. ''It is wrong for the RLC to start warning candidates when they have done nothing to deserve it.''
Forbes's new round of ads are about Social Security and taxes, with a third that is strictly biographical. The two issue ads do not refer to any other candidate or any other campaign's proposal.
Paul Young, a senior adviser to Forbes in New Hampshire, said the RLC is ''carrying water'' for Bush, and praised Duprey for calling for the ad to be taken down.
RLC director Mark Miller said the group produced the ads before even waiting to see Forbes's spots because it is in the party's best interests to avoid negative attacks in the primary season. The group plans to spend $100,000 to air the ad and has other spots ready to air if Forbes's ads are negative enough to merit more reaction, Miller said.
On the Democratic side of the primary, former labor secretary Robert Reich endorsed Bradley yesterday at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown. Reich said that the Clinton administration had gotten the national economy back on track but that hard choices on broadening access to health care and battling poverty remain.
''I have absolutely no doubt that were'' Gore ''elected, he would make an excellent president, but given the challenges ahead, Bill Bradley's commitment, his dedication, and his vision make him to my mind an even better president,'' he said.
Responding to the endorsement, Gore spokesman Chris Lehane said: ''I hope this means Mr. Reich will educate Senator Bradley's team on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, all programs that Bradley's agenda threatens to dismantle, imperil or change.''
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
