As the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election draws closer, both the Democratic and Republican campaigns are concentrating their efforts on a handful of battleground states that could tip the scales in November. Key among these are Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign team considers the “clearest pathway” to securing the White House. For Donald Trump’s team, the strategy rests on creating a “Red Wall” in the Eastern time zone, especially focusing on Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Both campaigns have allocated significant resources to these states. According to AdImpact, which monitors political advertising spending, Republicans have been spending heavily in Pennsylvania, with 36% of their ad budget focused there, while Democrats have dedicated 21% to the state. John Ashbrook, a Republican strategist, emphasized the critical nature of Georgia and Pennsylvania, noting that without Georgia, Republicans would struggle, while Democrats have no clear path to victory without Pennsylvania.
The spending breakdown reveals stark differences in approach. Harris’s campaign has raised and spent more money overall, putting nearly $933 million toward advertising as of early September, in contrast to Trump’s $485 million. The Harris campaign has also been more expansive geographically, spreading its resources across multiple battleground states, including Arizona and Nevada, in addition to the northern “Blue Wall” trio of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Republicans, meanwhile, have spent 19% of their ad budget in Georgia, a must-win state for Trump’s reelection, and have also been working hard to appeal to “Target Persuadables,” a segment of the electorate that makes up about 11% of the voter base in key states.
As the campaigns move into the final stretch, Pennsylvania and Georgia are expected to play pivotal roles in deciding the outcome. With the electoral map shrinking and margins tightening in battleground states, both parties are preparing for an intense fight leading up to Election Day.
Credit: msn.com
