Fredreka Schouten

USA TODAY

A politically active non-profit group that has pummeled Donald Trump in Florida launched a new seven-figure ad campaign Thursday, featuring what it describes as a former salesman for the billionaire's controversial Trump University.

The 60-second commercial from American Future Fund features a man, identified only as "Cliff," recounting the complaints against the real-estate investment program.

"I was ashamed to work there," he said. He said he left the job because "I thought it would be easier for me to sleep at night."

The ad is airing in Florida.

Trump's critics have centered on the now-defunct real-estate seminar program as the main line of attack in a last-ditch effort to derail his candidacy in crucial winner-take-all primaries Tuesday in Florida and Ohio.

Trump University, which changed its name to Trump Entrepreneur Initiative, is the subject of three civil lawsuits, including one from New York's Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Stuart Roy, a spokesman for American Future Fund, said the ad campaign "is clearly causing some pain" for Trump. "There is no doubt we have told a very powerful narrative about Trump making money off the backs of ordinary people."

Officials with the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to an interview request.

Trump, however, has argued he will prevail in the lawsuits and has insisted the school received good ratings from the Better Business Bureau. In the face of the relentless criticism, Trump this week posted three-minute video to "set the record straight" about the school. (Fact-checkers and the Better Business Bureau say his claims aren't credible.)

American Future Fund also is launching its first anti-Trump ads in Ohio, where recent polls show Ohio Gov. John Kasich gaining on Trump.

The group will spend at least $100,000 in the state, starting Thursday, Roy said. Those ads will feature former Trump University students who claim they were cheated out of their money. With the Ohio buy, American Future Fund has spent at least $5.1 million to oppose Trump in three states that vote Tuesday.

Another anti-Trump group, Our Principles PAC, also is moving into Ohio, after blistering Trump on the airwaves in Florida. That group is spending $1 million for an online and cable ad, attacking Trump for outsourcing jobs, our colleagues at The Cincinnati Enquirer report.

The Kasich camp, no doubt, will welcome the help.

Kasich campaign strategist John Weaver took to Twitter this week to complain about all the money hitting Florida, where recent polls shows Florida Sen. Marco Rubio trailing Trump.

"Outrageous anti-Trump $ being spent in FL (waste), IL & MO," Weaver tweeted, "but crickets in Ohio, where @ johnkasich is winning"

Some party leaders, including the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney, have suggested that boosting Kasich in Ohio and Rubio in Florida will help stop Trump from capturing the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

On Tuesday, 66 delegates are at stake in Ohio and 99 in Florida.

From primaries to polls, Marco Rubio's week goes from bad to worse