Three liberal political action committees have joined together to try to defeat state Sen. Luke Esser, R-Bellevue. Seattle-based groups pushing for gun control, abortion rights and gay rights formed the Save the 48th Committee and will begin a TV ad campaign against Esser Sunday.

The committee is composed of the Ceasefire Action Committee, Equal Rights Washington PAC, and Planned Parenthood Votes. In an announcement, the groups said it is the first time they have banded together.

Their new PAC is focused on defeating Esser and replacing him with Rep. Rodney Tom, a former Republican who switched parties this year and filed to run against Esser.

Washington CeaseFire says it "has already produced a hardhitting TV ad highlighting Esser's poor record on gun safety" that begins airing Sunday. The group criticizes Esser for voting against a bill sponsored by Tom that would have required background checks to buy guns at gun shows.

There is also a fundraiser scheduled in October at the home of Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina.

"I'm busy that night," Esser told me. He said that one of the group's main arguments against his candidacy is false. The group says on its website about regulating pharmacists:

Rodney believes all women should have access to birth control pills and plan B emergency contraception. Esser takes the extreme view that pharmacists should be able to deny you prescriptions your doctor has already approved.

Said Esser:

"They actually got my position wrong. The only time I announced a position was on Robert Mak's show and I said I agreed with the governor. Maybe they think the governor is an extremist, I don't know. I'm pro-life, but I'm not anti-contraception."

UPDATE: Jon Scholes, vice president of Washington CeaseFire, said the groups "are following the Jim Horn model here -- teaming up with other progressives, focusing our resources and taking the chance with TV." Horn was the veteran Republican senator from Mercer Island defeated in 2004 by challenger Brian Weinstein.

The will run during Meet the Press Sunday morning and in the evening on KONG. Here's the ad: