Online advertising and TV spots
Trump lobbyists are ahead in campaign spending
18.06.2024, 17:12
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The presidential election campaign in the USA is already in full swing. Lobby groups that support Trump are currently spending significantly more money on election advertising than Biden supporters.
Supporter groups of former US President Donald Trump have so far spent significantly more money on election advertising than associations supporting incumbent Joe Biden. The pro-Trump groups have spent more than $25 million on television and online ads since Trump effectively secured the Republican presidential nomination on March 6. In contrast, the Biden lobby only spent more than $15 million in the same period, according to documents from the Federal Election Commission.
The lobby groups operate alongside the candidates’ actual election campaigns. The largest of them are called Super Pacs. “Pac” stands for “Political Action Committee”. These organizations work to elect their preferred candidate. To do this, they run large-scale election advertising, among other things. However, they are not allowed to coordinate with the candidate. However, unlike the candidates’ election campaigns, they are allowed to collect unlimited amounts of money.
Polls show close race between Trump and Biden
According to sources close to them, Trump supporter groups want to use their spending offensive to counter Biden’s advantage in fundraising in the early phase of the election campaign. The Democrat’s campaign reported that it had $84 million in its campaign coffers at the end of April, while the Trump camp reported $49 million at the time. Both campaigns are expected to present updated financial figures this Thursday.
New figures are also expected from the largest pro-Trump super-pac, MAGA Inc., which will report on Thursday, according to an insider, that its coffers alone were filled with $93.7 million at the end of May – compared to $33 million at the end of April. To support the Trump campaign, MAGA Inc. has so far invested around $18 million, mainly in television and online advertising that is directed against Biden’s immigration policy and claims he is too old for a second term.
In contrast, Future Forward, the largest super-pac supporting Biden, has reported spending less than $1 million since March 6, despite having $57 million in cash as of the end of April. Super-pac American Bridge 21st Century, which is close to Biden’s Democrats, has spent more than $11 million so far.
The election is on November 5. Polls show Biden and Trump as being very close. However, Trump has a slight lead in some states that could make the difference.