Since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee, Democrats have significantly outspent Republicans on advertising, with a total of $921 million compared to $569 million. This substantial lead is attributed to Democrats' advantage in both national and digital advertising, with Harris and her allies outspending the GOP by over $50 million in each category.
In battleground states, the advertising competition has been more closely contested, with Republicans expected to gain an edge on the airwaves in critical states in the final weeks of the race.
In Michigan, Democrats have established a substantial advertising lead, running over $51 million more worth of ads compared to Republicans since Biden's withdrawal. Similarly, in Pennsylvania, Democrats have outspent Republicans by approximately $37 million between July 22 and October 15. However, during the first two weeks of October, Republicans took the lead in Pennsylvania, outspending Democrats by about $1.2 million.
Looking ahead, Republicans are set to maintain a slight advantage in Pennsylvania, with approximately $35 million in remaining ad bookings compared to Democrats' $34 million. In Wisconsin, both parties have been evenly matched in ad spending, with each side investing around $14 million in advertising during October.
Democrats are focusing their resources on North Carolina, with Harris and her allies outspending Trump and his allies by $12 million in the first two weeks of October. In Georgia, Democrats are projected to outspend Republicans by more than $12 million, with significant support from the leading pro-Harris super PAC, FF PAC.
Furthermore, Democrats have dominated advertising in Nebraska since Harris became the nominee, with the state expecting less than $1 million worth of presidential advertising through Election Day.
