CNN shows that the Obama campaign has spent $306,817,890 on ads, resulting in 505,805 ad appearances. The Romney campaign has spent only $144,989,360 and aired 219,945 ads. While it’s still hard to tell which candidate made the right decision on advertising, Romney is slightly ahead of Obama in several national polls.
In Wisconsin, Obama has spent at least $3 million more than Romney. In most states, the ads are used to both attack the opposing candidate and promote their own candidates, but in Wisconsin 100 percent of Obama’s ads have been used to attack Romney and 93 percent of Romney’s ads are used to attack Obama.
In New Hampshire, Obama has spent over $4 million more than Romney. His most recent ad reminded voters how important their four electoral votes are and how even the smallest swing states can have major impacts on the election. Romney also recently released an ad in New Hampshire targeting citizens reliant on ship building.
Pennsylvania is also going to be airing new ads soon. Romney will run the first ad of his campaign in the Keystone State. The ad will promote coal as an energy plan, criticizing Obama’s plan to abolish coal companies. It has also been reported that Obama will air two ads in Pennsylvania.
As was the case in the 2000 presidential election, Florida is proving to be a very important state for both candidates, as both Romney and Obama have spent more in Florida than any other swing state. The most popular topics in the ads for both candidates have been Medicare and senior citizens, as well as middle class citizens.
Nevada is another state that’s been seeing a surplus of ads from both candidates. However, the cost of airing ads in Nevada is not as high as other states, allowing both candidates to air more ads for lower prices. Obama has reportedly spent $20 million on ads in Nevada, almost twice the amount Romney has spent.
Keeping with the trend, Obama has also spent more money on ads in North Carolina than Romney. Both candidates have focused more ads on being negative towards the opposing candidate. Recent polls have shown Romney ahead of Obama by five percent in North Carolina.
Obama’s popularity has also decreased in Michigan. However, the president seems to no longer be focusing on the state. Both Obama and Romney have centered most of their ads on criticizing the opposing candidate’s plan for the auto industry, yet both have focused more on Ohio than Michigan.
In Iowa, Obama recently released an ad critical of Romney’s promise of opposition to wind energy tax credits, one of the most important factors in Iowa. The Romney campaign responded with an ad targeting Obama and his relation to the poor state of the economy.
Obama also outspent Romney in Virginia. However, the president is losing his lead in the state as polls now show Romney with 47 percent of the vote, just behind Obama’s 48 percent.
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