A brand-new organization calling itself Common Sense in America is up with a major television ad buy in the New York special election, praising Republican Dede Scozzafava as the “best choice for progressives.”

At first glance, the group’s ad looks like it’s an endorsement of Scozzafava. But it’s a dirty trick engineered by Hoffman supporters, looking to render her unacceptable to many Republican voters by detailing her liberal position on gay marriage, support of President Obama’s stimulus and connections to labor.

“On Tuesday, progressives have one candidate to vote for with pride: Dede Scozzafava,” the ad says.

“Dede supports President Obama’s efforts to stimulate our economy. Dede supports organized labor’s drive to expand membership. And Dede is the only candidate for Congress who supports marriage equality. Dede Scozzafava: the best choice for progressives.”

The group’s presumed intent with the ad is to trick unsuspecting GOP voters into thinking Scozzafava is the choice of progressives so they will then support her Conservative party challenger, Doug Hoffman. Common Sense in America is spending about $150,000 on the ad buy, and it is up on broadcast and cable in all three media markets in the sprawling upstate New York district.

Hey, Newsweek said “We’re All Socialists Now”, so on one level, I guess it depends on what your definition of “All” is; besides, I thought Progressive was the ancient term from the 1920s that’s now the new hip “new” term that liberals like to call themselves, as both Hillary and Obama noted during the 2008 race. What’s the problem? (Other than ad’s cheesy graphics, which make it look like it’s from about 1975 — which makes sense, as that’s when most of the policies Scozzafava favors were at their peak of popularity.

Also, the headline at Politico is titled, “Republican Dirty Tricks” — as the Rhetorican asks, why are Republicans being blamed for a group that wants to knock out the candidate in the race who’s a Republican?

Well, at least in name only, which, come to think of it, is the point of the ad.

Related: A rare reverse “Name That Party” moment: “ABC Fails to ID First Elected Black Senator as a Republican — Beaten by White Democrat.”

Update: It’s a Scozzafava-palooza at Stacy McCain’s, who explores the strategy at work in the above ad.