TOPEKA, Kansas, July 23, 2008 (AP) - Democratic challenger Jim Slattery is trying to tie Republican Sen. Pat Roberts to high gasoline prices.

Slattery's campaign has started a new television ad. It shows Slattery at a gas pump and it criticizes Roberts over three votes in 2005.

The ad says those votes show that Roberts supported tax breaks for big oil companies. It also says consumers pay for those tax breaks at the pump.

Two of those votes by Roberts were against new taxes on oil company profits. Another would have repealed tax breaks for some drilling and development costs.

Roberts' campaign responded by pointing to a 1993 vote Slattery made as a congressman. Slattery supported a deficit-reduction package that included an increase in motor fuels taxes.