Presidential ads mark a divide as both candidates spend big in battleground states

Election Day is here, and new ad spending data reveals the intense and targeted push seen in swing states as campaigns for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump delivered last-minute messaging.

Presidential campaigns spent $2.6 billion on ads from Super Tuesday through Nov. 1, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact, which found Democrats spent $1.6 billion while Republicans spent $993 million. That includes spend from both presidential candidates’ official campaigns, their victory funds and joint party campaigns. (Last week, Republicans outspent Democrats by $6.9 million, making it just one of the two weeks when the latter had a spending advantage.)

Presidential campaigns have invested $1.8 billion in seven key swing states since late July. Pennsylvania tops the list with $264 million, followed by Michigan ($151 million), Georgia ($137 million), North Carolina ($109 million) and Arizona ($91 million). Notably missing from the top five is Florida, a major battleground in the past, with $240 million spent in 2020.

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