Americans are seeing more ads supporting former President Trump than those supporting presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, according to a Wesleyan Media Project survey.
The study, released Wednesday, found that 44,000 pro-Trump ads have aired since July 12. Half of those were by MAGA Inc., which aired about 22,800 spots. Preserve America PAC, another outside group supporting Trump, sponsored about 6,100 airings.
Since mid-July, the Trump campaign has increased its television presence, sponsoring about 15,000 ads costing more than $10 million.
On the Democratic side, about 32,700 ads backed Biden and Harris. The vice president’s campaign, which formed after Biden decided in late July not to run for reelection, aired 12,000 ads, as did Future Forward PAC, a Democratic outside group.
Still, Democrats have spent more on pro-Trump ads, $63 million compared with $49 million Trump has spent, according to the study.
“The upheaval of the presidential election has given both parties new incentives to promote Vice President Harris, as she is less well-known than former Presidents Trump and Biden,” Travis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project, said in a statement.
Each side emphasized different policy issues in their ads.
Harris’ campaign ads and Future Forward’s ads have featured abortion, health care, affordable housing and prescription drugs. The study found that the majority of ads supporting Harris focus on public safety, tying them to her record as a prosecutor.
On the Republican side, Trump campaign ads and MAGA Inc. ads have focused on immigration, public safety and opioids and prescription drugs, according to the survey.
“While Trump and his allies have run ads trying to link Harris to border security issues, illegal immigration and crime, they also tout her background as a prosecutor and the daughter of immigrants to contrast her work for the middle class with Trump’s,” said Erica Franklin Fowler, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project.
