Story highlights Tom Perriello released a campaign ad that showed him standing in front of an ambulance

Ralph Northam has been an announced candidate for the state's top job for more than a year

(CNN) It took seconds for the House passage of the Republican health care bill to have a crushing impact on the Virginia governor's race. Literally.

Moments after the deciding vote was cast, upstart Democratic candidate Tom Perriello released a campaign ad that showed him standing in front of an ambulance being flattened by an automobile compacter. The symbolic but powerful image, which Perriello said in the ad was a metaphor for what GOP leaders are trying to do to affordable health care, quickly went viral, demonstrating the angst over health care and its uncertain future.

The campaign said the ad will run on television starting next week, but it did not disclose the extent of the buy. In any case, it seems clear the video achieved its purpose: It captured the moment in a memorable way while calling attention to the candidate, something that Perriello's team has successful done a number of times as they hope to defy the odds and topple Lt. Governor Ralph Northam in the Democratic primary in June. Under Virginia's constitution, Gov. Terry McAuliffe cannot run for another consecutive term.

Northam, who is considered the frontrunner, has been an announced candidate for the State's top job for more than a year. He enjoys the support of a lengthy list of Democratic officials, including every single statewide officeholder. They all backed his campaign before Perriello decided to enter the race.

Perriello's campaign, however, has gotten off to a surprisingly quick start. He has raised more than $2 million, has pulled even or ahead in most public polls, and is drawing big crowds of enthusiastic supporters. Perriello is even pulling support from popular, national progressive figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and former Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

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