President Biden’s campaign announced Friday that it was launching a $50 million advertising offensive in battleground states, a move as the president seeks to convince voters he is fit for the presidency following his disastrous performance in last week’s debate.
The campaign also announced it would invest $17 million in increased voter outreach over the next two months, with the president, Vice President Harris, first lady Jill Biden and first lady Doug Emhoff visiting every battleground state in July.
The campaign said its television, radio and digital advertising offensive is targeting voters in battleground states on key issues including abortion, the economy and portraying Trump as a threat to American democracy and the rule of law.
The ads will also feature programming with large, politically diverse audiences, including the 2024 Olympics, the season premiere of The Bachelorette and the Republican National Convention.
“This will be a close race and will be decided by battleground voters who will need consistent time, outreach and attention,” the campaign said in a statement outlining the campaign’s plans.
“While Donald Trump is on the golf course, we are working to reach out to critical voters and position this election as a choice between Joe Biden, who fights for American families, and Donald Trump, a convicted felon waging a campaign of revenge and retribution aimed only at himself.”
Biden’s reelection campaign touted its best fundraising month ever in June, raising $127 million through his campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees.
Of that total, $38 million came just days after the first presidential debate last Thursday, when Biden was inundated with calls to drop out of the race, according to the campaign.
Biden is scheduled to appear on ABC’s George Stephanopoulos for an interview on Friday in what is widely seen as one of the most important of his presidency as he seeks to convince voters, donors and political allies that he is fit for the job.
But before speaking with Stephanopoulos, Biden is scheduled to speak at a campaign event in Madison, Wisconsin.
Three House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to drop out of the race and others have privately expressed reservations, but the party’s mainstream base has largely supported him, and several politicians, including Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), are expected to join the campaign.
Wisconsin is one of six states that The Hill and Decision Desk consider to be close, along with Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
Biden won all six districts in 2020, defeating Trump, and is aiming to do so again this time. But it will be a fight: Trump currently leads Biden nationally by nearly 14 points, according to election projections from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ.
