As the general election matchup between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump intensifies, Democrats are currently leading in advertising spending across all seven key swing states. However, in the crucial battleground of Pennsylvania, GOP advertisers have managed to narrow the gap and are now even outspending Democrats.
Across Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, and Nevada, Democrats are projected to outspend Republicans on ads by approximately $928 million to $748 million from July 22 through Election Day. The largest advertising lead for Democrats is in Michigan, where they are expected to outspend Trump and his supporters by over $50 million. In Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, two other critical battlegrounds, Democrats hold leads of nearly $25 million and almost $20 million, respectively.
Even in the final month leading up to the election, Democrats maintain an overall advertising advantage in most swing states. However, Republicans have managed to surpass Democrats in ad spending in Pennsylvania for October, with a margin of about $9 million. This shift marks a significant change from earlier in the campaign when Democrats were dominating ad spending across all battlegrounds.
The ability of Trump and his allies to close the gap and even exceed Democratic ad spending in some instances signifies a notable shift in the dynamics of the advertising battle as the election draws nearer.
