Bloomberg is spending an unprecedented amount of money on Pennsylvania TV ads

The ad the Bloomberg campaign has run most frequently in the last week — 837 spots over five days — is titled “Defeat Donald Trump.”

Pennsylvania doesn’t hold its primary for three more months. But amid a fluid Democratic presidential race that might not be settled until well after Iowa begins early-state preference voting next week, billionaire Michael Bloomberg is blanketing the airwaves from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh with an unprecedented advertising blitz.

In the two months since he entered the race, the former New York City mayor has already spent $10.6 million on television and radio advertising across Pennsylvania’s six media markets, according to data compiled by the ad-tracking firm Advertising Analytics — an average of more than $1 million a week. If Bloomberg keeps airing ads at this pace, as expected, his campaign would be on track to spend about $25 million in Pennsylvania alone.

For good measure, Bloomberg, who is funding his campaign entirely with his own fortune, has spent $317,000 on Facebook ads in the state, too. He’s also building a formidable ground game in Pennsylvania, with 35 staffers in the state already and plans to bring on more than 90. Few of his Democratic rivals are on the air in Pennsylvania, enabling him to pitch his candidacy here without having to compete for voters’ attention amid the cacophony of political ads they see on TV in a campaign’s final stretch.

The Bloomberg ads highlight his success as a businessman, and promote his plans to expand access to health care, combat climate change, and reduce gun violence.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/mike-bloomberg-2020-presidential-campaign-advertising-pennsylvania-20200128.html