Turn on any TV or device right now and you’re likely to see an attack ad from one of the six Democratic candidates for governor. And with just over a week to go until primary Election Day, many have turned their sights — and those advertisements  — towards U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th), who’s leading the pack in the latest polls.

Democratic strategist Dan Bryan said he’s surprised there haven’t seen more attack ads and sooner in this primary race.

“I thought that this election was going to get negative earlier on, honestly, even as early as January or February,” he said. “I think the most interesting part of this is how most of the campaigns have stayed away from it. I think what you’re seeing now… is an acknowledgement from some of the candidates that they still have room to go to make up.”

The latest polls, including one put out by StimSight Research, a private opinion and market research company run by New Jersey pollster Patrick Murray, found that Sherrill’s lead has widened over the others. Of note is her lead over the two mayors in the race — Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — who are running as the most progressive candidates.

“In our polling, we see Mikie Sherrill ahead of the rest of the pack overall, with a significant margin in what we’re looking at, because in large part… of that progressive lane being split,” said Murray.

Not surprisingly, the attack ads targeting Sherrill have been paid for by Baraka and a PAC supporting Fulop. But how effective they will be is uncertain.

“The dichotomy when you’re the leader is, how much of your time do you want to spend explaining things and how much do you just want to go out and make your case to voters,” said Bryan. “I think it’s a tricky balance there, and I think they’ve handled it pretty well.”

Sherrill’s communications director Sean Higgins, said the other candidates are “grasping at straws.”

“What we’re doing is getting the truth out there, putting out Mikie’s positive vision on how she’s going to lower costs, how she’s going to deliver for families, and how she’s the best candidate on the Democratic side and the one who can beat Jack Ciattarelli from being Trump’s yes man in Trenton,” he said.

While Higgins said the campaign is staying focused on Sherrill’s positive message, a PAC supporting her has put out an ad calling out her opponents as “same old politicians.”