Political ad money continues to roll in for the 2024 Primary, Presidential, and Congressional elections.
In the Senate, nearly $42 million has already been spent on the 2024 primary elections. The highest spending Senate race is Maryland's with $9.8 million, all coming from David Trone (D), AdImpact reports. The 2024 Senate races in Montana and Ohio have been the focus of millions in ad spending from both parties.
Even with Montana’s primary not happening until next June, $7 million has already been reserved for political ads. Incumbent Jon Tester's campaign (D) has spent $1.6 million toward his re-election and has seen $1.1 million in support from the PBM Accountability Project. Leading Republican contender Tim Sheehy has spent $1.9 million on advertisements.
The competitive Ohio Senate race has incumbent Sherrod Brown (D) receiving $1.8 million in ad support, with $1.2 million from the group Duty and Country. Republican candidate Bernie Moreno recently spent $2.5 million on ads running through mid-December. Fellow Republican primary contender, Matt Dolan, has spent $1.6 million on ads. Additionally, Republican group Citizens for Sanity has dropped $1 million on advertising against Brown. The group invested $4.2 million across various Senate races in 2022 and will likely spend more in this competitive race, AdImpact says. The Ohio Senate primary will take place on March 19.
In its latest political ad tracking report, the firm notes that the first big spender in the Republican Presidential Primary, Tim Scott, dropped out of the race last week and pulled back on all future reservations. His PAC has done the same, cutting $10.5 million, while the campaign’s negated reservations total $871,000. This follows earlier cuts by the campaign ($900,000) and the Trust in the Mission PAC ($14 million). Scott’s final total spending on ads was $24.3 million.
Meanwhile, the first broadcast reservations from Nikki Haley’s campaign have been made, with $1.8 million earmarked for Iowa, and $2.3 million in New Hampshire. Her PAC, SFA Inc., is now up to $26.9 million in ad spending and reservations, making it the third highest-spending advertiser in the Presidential race, behind Never Back Down, and MAGA Inc.
AdImpact says two new Presidential advertisers hit the airwaves in the last two weeks – Fight Right and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s PAC, Campaign for Democracy. Fight Right spent $920,000 on broadcast and cable ads that will attack Haley. Campaign for Democracy spent $185,000 on TV ads in Washington, DC, and Florida. Newsom, who is not running for President stated that the PAC will spend money in “states where freedom is most under attack.” Their recent ad attacks Florida Governor and GOP Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis for his stance on abortion.