With the 2024 presidential election rapidly approaching, both Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump are focusing their final campaign efforts on Pennsylvania, a pivotal battleground state, Bloomberg reports.
While Harris aims to secure the “Blue Wall” states and compete in the Sun Belt, Trump is doubling down on Pennsylvania’s electoral votes.
Analysis of advertising data by the news agency reveals a significant shift in spending by both campaigns. Despite a substantial spending advantage for Harris and her allies earlier in the race, Trump and his super PACs have outspent the Democrats in Pennsylvania over the past two weeks. This reflects a strategic shift by Trump, prioritizing the key swing state in the final stretch.
While Harris has invested heavily in “Blue Wall” states like Michigan and Wisconsin, her campaign has also poured resources into the Sun Belt, particularly North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona. However, Republican strategists express doubts about Harris’ chances in these states.
Despite publicly expressing confidence in their respective campaigns, both Harris and Trump are allocating their largest ad spending in the coming weeks to Pennsylvania, signaling its crucial role in their strategies.
While the Trump campaign has significantly increased its ad spending in Pennsylvania, Harris’ campaign has likely invested heavily in digital platforms, not fully captured by the data.
“Every dollar raised by President Trump’s donors is valued, carefully considered, and wisely spent,” said Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
Meanwhile, Harris’ campaign has directed a larger share of its media buys to the Sun Belt states, compared to allied super PACs which have focused on national cable advertisements.
The Democratic campaign’s spending patterns reveal a calculated attempt to secure a path to victory by winning the three Rust Belt states, even if it means losing ground in the Sun Belt.
