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Later today, the presidential campaign for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards will hit the Iowa airwaves with their first major television advertisement.

The ad, entitled "Heroes," comes on the heels of the Edwards campaign being the first to visit each of Iowa's 99 counties.

"In the ad, John reaffirms his commitment to honoring and fighting for America's true heroes -- the working men and women of our country," Iowa State Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon said in an email to supporters. "It's a powerful piece that remind me of why I'm so proud to support John."

Four Iowans are featured in the ad:

• Newton resident Leslie Gilbert is a mother of four who works two jobs to help provide for her family. Her husband, Shane, works as an insulator and they recently purchased their first home. Leslie is going back to school to earn a degree in business.
• Doug Smith works as a bead builder at the Firestone plant in Des Moines. He is a member of United Steelworkers Local 310.
• Bill and Helen Barrett have three children and nine grandchildren. For more than 20 years they owned and operated a farm in Seymour. Since 2000 they have lived in Des Moines. Bill drove school buses in the Des Moines area until he retired in 2004.

The ad is being aired in conjunction a seven-day campaign promotion dubbed "American Heroes Week." During the next seven days, Edwards will visit South Carolina and Louisiana before heading back into eastern Iowa. On Sunday, Nov. 4, Edwards will host a series of town hall meetings to highlight the service of America's teachers. The following day he will focus on the heroism of America's soldiers during a foreign policy speech in Iowa City. The candidate will then travel to New Hampshire for events focusing on veterans and first responders.