Joe Biden has a significant advantage over Donald Trump in terms of advertising spending in the early stages of their general election matchup. Biden’s campaign and other Democratic advertisers have spent $27.2 million on advertising for the presidential race, while the Trump campaign and GOP advertisers have only spent about $9.3 million. Biden has focused his ad spending on key battleground states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Georgia, promoting his administration’s first-term record and criticizing Trump on issues such as the cost of living and abortion rights.
One example of Biden’s ad strategy is a recent ad in Arizona that focuses on abortion rights, accusing Trump of restricting women’s freedoms. In response, a pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., has ramped up its advertising in Pennsylvania, criticizing Biden’s immigration policies and emphasizing Trump’s focus on immigration and crime throughout his campaign. Trump has also received support from outside groups aligned with the oil and gas industries, running anti-Biden ads in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Despite these efforts, Trump has been significantly outspent on the airwaves by Biden since becoming the presumptive nominee. Trump has also faced challenges, including being forced off the campaign trail due to his criminal hush money trial in New York. While Biden has been actively campaigning, meeting with union voters in Pennsylvania and rallying with the Kennedys, Trump has had to focus on legal expenses, with his campaign spending millions on legal fees as various cases against him proceed.
Biden’s fundraising edge has enabled him to maintain an advertising advantage over Trump. As of April, Biden’s campaign reported $85.5 million in cash on hand, nearly double Trump’s war chest of $45.1 million. The Democratic National Committee also has more funds available than the Republican National Committee. Trump’s mounting legal expenses have contributed to this financial disparity, with his political committees having to allocate millions of dollars towards legal costs. Despite this, polls continue to show a close race between Biden and Trump, with each candidate averaging 47% support among potential voters.
The latest FEC filings highlight Biden’s financial advantage, which has allowed him to dominate the airwaves with his ad spending. Biden’s campaign and other Democratic advertisers have focused on key battleground states, while Trump has faced challenges such as legal expenses and being forced off the campaign trail. Despite this, polls show a close race between the two candidates, with no clear leader emerging. Biden’s fundraising edge has enabled him to maintain his advertising advantage over Trump, giving him a strong position in the early stages of their general election matchup.
