After becoming the Democratic Party’s likely presidential nominee, Kamala Harris is facing a barrage of attack ads from Republicans questioning her personality, progressive record, and knowledge of President Joe Biden’s condition. Despite this, Democrats have yet to engage in the summer advertising battle, and Republicans are dominating the airwaves, outspending Harris’s team 25-to-1 on television and radio advertising. The stark difference in spending reflects the current imbalance for Democrats as voters form opinions of Harris, who has been in Biden’s shadow for the past four years.
Harris’s allies are concerned about the impact of the attack ads on public opinion, emphasizing the need for Harris to define herself before Trump does. While she has received positive media coverage following Biden’s endorsement, there is a significant advertising disadvantage that Democrats need to address. Harris’s team has the resources to launch a robust advertising campaign, having raised a staggering $100 million in just one day. Despite the importance of advertising, Democratic strategist Josh Schwerin believes that positive media coverage plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative around Harris, alongside ad campaigns.
Some of the attack ads against Harris are already influencing the narrative, with Biden allies expressing concerns about a new ad that portrays Harris as the “most liberal nominee ever.” Republicans have been targeting Harris’s progressive positions on various issues and her loud laugh, with Trump’s campaign largely silent on the airwaves following his nomination. However, backed by powerful super PACs, the Trump campaign has reserved substantial advertising budgets for the fall when more voters are paying attention. In contrast, Democrats have halted their ad spending after investing heavily in boosting Biden before he dropped out of the race.
As voters are currently only seeing presidential ads attacking Harris, Democrats are working to ramp up their advertising efforts. While there are limited Democratic ad reservations through the end of August, the pro-Harris super PAC Future Forward plans to launch a $129 million advertising campaign in September. The lack of Democratic ads at the moment is allowing Republicans to dominate the airwaves with negative attacks on Harris, blaming her for various issues like border invasion, inflation, and the decline of the American dream. These ads are shaping the narrative around Harris as she tries to define herself and her platform in the lead-up to the election.
