Trump’s spending spree doesn’t have Harris and Democrats panicked yet

Former President Donald Trump and his allies are outspending the Harris campaign by a 25-1 margin in radio and television ads.

The major discrepancy, under a week into the new campaign, reported by the Associated Press, presents an uphill battle for the Harris campaign. An analysis of data compiled by AdImpact for the outlet found that from the period starting Monday through the end of August, Trump and company have spent more than $68 million for Republicans, against just $2.6 million for Democrats.

The initial blitz reflects a concerted strategy by Republicans to get ahead of the narrative on the relatively lesser-known Harris, painting her as a weird, far-left radical.

Sarah Longwell, co-founder of Republican Voters Against Trump, warned that the initial blitz could be decisive.

“Public opinion is like cement. It’s soft at first and then it hardens,” she told the Associated Press. “The next three weeks are definitive. She needs to define herself before Trump defines her.”

Some Harris campaign officials met the news with consternation, with one "slightly exasperated campaign official" telling Politico that it had only been a few days.

“We’re working to get up ads as quickly as we can (though it’s only been 3 days) and in the meantime she’s dominating earned media,” they said.

Seeing the flip side, others believe that positive media coverage will make up for the gap.

“I think it’s lighting your money on fire to do ads when you’re getting the best and most earned media of the cycle,” Hillary Clinton campaign press secretary Nick Merrill told the outlet.

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This sentiment was backed up by Democratic strategist Josh Schwerin.

“Obviously, advertising is important and will pick up, but it’s not the only factor,” he told the Associated Press. “With Harris taking over as the presumptive nominee, she’s getting wall-to-wall largely positive coverage. ... You always need to take in the context of the entire media ecosystem.”