As Harris inches ahead, the cavalry comes to Trump’s aid on the airwaves

With polls showing former President Trump slipping behind Vice President Harris in multiple states, Trump’s allies are stepping on the gas to try and make up ground, according to a new NPR analysis of ad data provided in partnership with the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.

Trump’s campaign and outside groups supporting him — call them Team Trump — are now outspending Team Harris in four of the seven swing states. That represents a sharp turnaround from earlier in the campaign when Biden was dominating the airwaves.

Trump’s campaign has said a spending surge was always in the plans for around the time of both political conventions. But the increase includes states like North Carolina, that previously leaned in Trump’s direction. Trump’s allies spent little there before Harris entered the race. New investments there show how things have moved.

Pennsylvania is, by far, the state with the most significant ad spending in the past month with almost $100 million in total. That figure is 54% more than the next closest state, Michigan.

All included, however, when considering national advertising and non-state specific digital advertising, Team Harris has outspent Team Trump in the past month, by more than $50 million, $246.3 million to $192 million.

That’s largely because of Harris’ spending during the Olympics as well as her domination online. On digital, Team Harris has spent about $72 million compared to Trump’s $16 million. Younger voters take in more of their information online, and they certainly represent a critical piece of Harris’ potential base.

Overall, so far since the beginning of this presidential cycle, more than $1.6 billion has either been spent on ads that have already run or been booked through Election Day.