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After months of being outspent on the airwaves in the battle for the Senate, Republicans are now spending more on ads per week than Democrats, according to an analysis of ad spending data from AdImpact.
Over the last two weeks, from Aug. 29 through Sept. 11, Republican spending has surpassed Democrats in key Senate races in Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. GOP outside groups and candidates have spent a combined $38.6 million in those states over that period, while Democrats spent a combined $28.4 million.
Republicans also outspent Democrats over the last week, from Sept. 5 through Sept. 11, in North Carolina and Ohio, spending a combined $5.1 million to Democrats’ $2.8 million.
The spending surge marks a shift after weeks of Democrats dominating the airwaves. And it’s thanks largely to the GOP super PAC, Senate Leadership Fund, and its non-profit arm, One Nation, which have ramped up their spending across the Senate map.
Those two groups account for a sizable amount of GOP spending in these races, ranging from 39% of GOP spending in Wisconsin to 89% of Republican spending in Ohio. The groups have not yet spent in Florida’s Senate race.
Even though Republicans are starting to close the spending gap, Democratic candidates still have a sizable advantage in ad spending compared to their GOP opponents. That’s an important caveat because candidates receive lower ad rates, so they can air more ads for the same amount of money as an outside group.
Over the last two weeks, Democratic candidates in Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have spent a combined $14.6 million on ads, while their GOP opponents have spent $5.4 million, not including several joint advertising buys Republican candidates have made with the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Over the last week, Democrats Cheri Beasley of North Carolina and Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio have spent a combined $2.1 million on ads, while their GOP opponents, Rep. Ted Budd and author J.D. Vance, have spent a combined $215,000. Both Budd and Vance have also teamed up on ad buys with the NRSC.