The House Majority PAC, the Democratic super PAC allied with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House minority leader, said Sunday that it would spend $186 million on television and digital advertising for this year’s elections will spend – the largest early investment in the history of the group.
The big spending covers 58 media markets in 45 counties, targeting Republican seats in counties held by President Biden in 2020 and Democratic seats in counties won by former President Donald J. Trump. As part of that spending plan, $40 million will go toward digital advertising, the group said Sunday. Details of the ad purchase were initially shared with CNN.
In an interview Sunday, Mike Smith, president of the House Majority PAC, described the group’s plan for this election year as “an offensive strategy.” Democrats only need to gain four seats to gain a majority in the House, and they have said that depends on elections in New York and California. The group is spending the most in those states to unseat vulnerable Republican newcomers and maintain the extensive — and expensive — messaging needed to reach voters.
“The significant investment shows how seriously we are taking this election,” Mr Smith said. “The core districts that will determine whether Democrats win or lose the majority this fall are somewhat consolidated, and many of them are in the most expensive media markets in the country.”
Mr. Smith also noted that the group invested early in advertising in states like Ohio, Montana and Michigan, where there are a handful of closely contested U.S. Senate races and narrow presidential margins. There is a particular focus on targeting voters in districts with high percentages of Black, Hispanic or Asian American populations, as well as swing districts.
Deep-pocketed Democrats are spending heavily to protect vulnerable candidates ahead of the difficult elections in November. In addition, President Biden and his allies have so far outpaced Republicans, with a reported $192 million available in the president’s re-election campaign, a sum that includes funds raised by the national party and allied groups. As Mr. Trump struggled to close the fundraising gap, his campaign boasted of raising $50 million from a high-dollar fundraiser he held in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday
But Democrats have not shied away from the need to find candidates further down the ballot to surpass Mr. Biden, whose declining approval ratings could be a liability. Asked whether such a large, early investment was a reflection of the perceived challenges Democrats will face if they share a ticket with the president, Mr. Smith said the investment was not a response to presidential polls.
“It’s less a reflection of anything else than the fact that we need four seats to win,” Mr Smith said. “We are taking nothing for granted and are now making the investments known across the battlefield.”
The ads will focus primarily on reproductive rights, the economy and perceived Republican “extremism” that has hampered progress in Washington. Advertisements begin running on Monday. The number of markets and group spend levels may vary from the original placement as campaigns continue and groups reset their priorities.
Source link
2024-04-07 20:04:14
www.nytimes.com
