House Democrats made the first of what is likely to be several major ad bookings this cycle, reserving $18.3 million in airtime in states that will likely prove decisive in the battle for control of both the White House and the Senate.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee keyed in on media markets in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, according to Roll Call. In 2018, the DCCC ultimately booked nearly $75 million in ads, so its latest expenditure will likely be followed by several more sizable bookings.
The two largest partisan super PACs have already dropped about $120 million combined on ad bookings, including $51 million from the GOP-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund and nearly $69 million for the Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC, according to Politico. The National Republican Congressional Committee has yet to weigh in.
But similar to the ad bookings from the Pelosi-aligned House Majority PAC, the DCCC reserved space almost exclusively in areas that will serve the dual purpose of boosting Democratic chances in the presidential race and, in some cases, the battle for control of the Senate. Here's the DCCC spending rundown from Roll Call:
- Phoenix, Ariz. — $1,830,000
- Miami, Fla. — 1,970,000
- Atlanta, Ga. — $2,000,000
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa — $730,000
- Davenport, Iowa — $340,000
- Des Moines, Iowa — $1,252,800
- Bangor, Maine — $580,000
- Portland-Auburn, Maine — $790,000
- Presque Isle, Maine — $60,000
- Detroit, Mich. — $2,160,000
- Minneapolis, Minn. — $2,090,000
- Las Vegas, Nev. — $2,210,000
- Philadelphia, Pa. — $910,000
- Harrisburg, Pa. — $1,000,000
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. — $400,000
The DCCC also reportedly plans to spend $3 million in digital ads in some 40 districts this cycle.