In a year of trouble for Republicans, the ploy could provide just enough of a boost to retain Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat.

Or it could be politically fruitless.

But Sen. Jim Talent has begun aiming advertising at some of opponent Claire McCaskill’s strongest supporters — Missouri’s black voters.

Republicans hope enough will be swayed by his work on a handful of issues to help him win a tight race in November.

Talent has begun advertising his minority community bona fides on television and black radio. More ads are to follow. When he ran four years ago, Republicans didn’t begin their media campaign in the black community until September.