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Omaha, NE -- There are 21 days to go until Omaha's mayoral primary. 

This week, Mayor Jim Suttle came out swinging. He used his ad money to focus on gun control.

Suttle's opponents say he is wasting his time.

In the new 30-second spot, the mayor pledged to ban assault weapons and limit high capacity magazines. He said he is the only one of the five mayoral candidates who will do that.

"We have a safe city," said Suttle. "We have a city where crime rates are coming down, but the public perception about this one issue, of the gun violence, is resting very heavily on their minds and hearts."

The advertisement comes less than a week after Suttle joined hundreds of U.S. mayors in a public service announcement that asked Congress to act now.

Challenger Brad Ashford said gun control is not an issue for local government.

"We'll see what happens on the federal level with assault weapons and magazines," said Ashford. "Those things are federal issues and need to be addressed federally. I can't predict what will happen."

Candidate Dave Nabity said the issue has been brought up for political theatre.

"It's just politics," said Nabity. "It's just another example of Mayor Suttle rushing out there with a wild idea to try to gain attention. Where does he have the legal jurisdiction to do that?"

Candidate Jean Stothert said even if Suttle attempted a ban on assault weapons, he couldn't do it on his own.

"The City Council would have to pass an ordinance," said Stothert. "I truly believe that if the City Council passed an ordinance, we would be tied up in court, using taxpayers' money, for years because it's a second amendment violation."

Dan Welch said there are other things local officials need to focus on to cut down on crime.

"It's a very tough issue," said Welch. "I think we have to focus on illegal weapons, punishing people who are caught using illegal weapons and making sure those punishments are harsh."

 The five will debate at a forum next Monday.

The primary is April 2nd.