It’s not cheap to buy political TV ads in many parts of California, and so it would seem still a bit early to lauch any big ad buy for the June 6 primary.

But not for gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly. And apparently not for his challenger, Phil Angelides.

Truth be told, it’s often the big splash of an ad campaign that matters, with the candidate hoping to earn a little “free” attention from political reporters. Both campaigns, however, say the ads will be seen in all of the state’s big TV markets.

Both ads are kind of an introduction to the voters. Westly’s ad, which was out first, highlights his business background and says he is a “problem solver.” The ad’s tag line is that Westly would be a “different kind of governor.”

The Angelides ad, which is out today, relies largely on an on-camera endorsement from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Marin). And its tag line not so subtly highlights the campaign’s raison d’etre: “He stood up to Arnold, he’ll stand up for you.”

That last line, of course, is going to be a frequently discussed issue: who really is the best Democrat to challenge Arnold Schwarzenegger? Angelides has been critical of the governor’s policies from the beginning; Westly originally joined with Schwarzenegger on getting the voters to approve deficit bonds in 2004 but, in recent times, has argued that the governor has strayed away from sound policies.

As for Schwarzenegger, he’s spending the day in Washington, DC today with many of the nation’s governors. And his schedule includes time with someone who’s not very popular back here in the Golden State: President George W. Bush.