Story highlights Bernie Sanders' campaign spend more than $2 million on its first ad over the next 10 days

Hillary Clinton's campaign spent $3.4 million on media in the third quarter, according to FEC reports

(CNN) Bernie Sanders released the first TV ad buy of his presidential campaign on Sunday, going on air in Iowa and New Hampshire with a biography spot that casts the senator as an "honest leader" who has long stood on principle, not politics.

Sanders' campaign will spend more than $2 million on the ad over the next 10 days, according to Michael Briggs, the campaign's spokesman. The large buy comes months after Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign went on air in the key early nominating states.

"Thousands of Americans have come out to see Bernie speak and we've seen a great response to his message," said Jeff Weaver, the campaign's manager. "This ad marks the next phase of this campaign. We're bringing that message directly to the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire."

The mainly biographical ad looks to introduce Sanders to voters.

"He went to public schools then college where the work of his life began, fighting injustice and inequality, speaking truth to power," a voice over says as pictures hit on how Sanders participated in the March on Washington in 1963. "He moved to Vermont, won election and praise as one of America's best mayors."