Trump campaign and MAGA Inc. go on ad spending spree after Harris enters race

The campaign of former President Donald Trump and an associated super PAC have spent four times as much money on television political advertising in Georgia in the two weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris took over as the presumptive Democratic nominee than in the rest of 2024 combined.

The dramatic increase is a sign that Republicans view the race for Georgia to be more competitive than when President Joe Biden was at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Charles Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia, said the spike in spending indicates the Trump campaign perceives Harris to be a stronger opponent.

“I think the overall perspective of the Trump campaign was that it was pretty much in the bag if they were running against old Joe,” he said. “Now old Joe’s gone, and it’s a whole new game.”

Since July 21, when Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Harris, the Trump campaign and MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting the former president, have spent more than $11.5 million on television ad buys at the major networks in the state to air in the months leading up to the election, compared with $2.9 million spent the rest of the year.

These totals include major network stations with the largest broadcasting range, but not cable networks.

This spending is part of a more widespread ad buy by the Trump campaign set to air during just two weeks, totaling over $10 million across radio and TV stations in swing states including Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to AdImpact, an organization that tracks political ads.