Pennsylvania spends more on ad campaigns than any other state

Pennsylvania is outpacing every other state in political ad spending this election year, a signal that campaigns are putting everything they can into securing the support they need in this key, pivotal swing state.

Political advertising spending in the Community has exceeded $507 million since Monday, according to Axioswhich was based on data from AdImpact, an ad tracking site. This includes spending on TV, digital, radio, satellite and streaming ads.

Pennsylvania could take control of the White House and the U.S. Senate as early as November.

The presidential race is currently at a $189.5 million stake in this key battleground state, which has influenced the outcome of the last two presidential elections.

Pennsylvania’s importance is especially true for Democrats, whose primary path to victory includes retaining the commonwealth’s 20 electoral votes, which President Joe Biden secured with 50% of the vote. As of Friday, Democrats were outraising Republicans in Pennsylvania by $43 million, according to Axios.

That spending came before President Joe Biden left office. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is likely to maintain a high spending pace in the state as she looks to close the gap in polls with former President Donald Trump. Harris’ campaign said she raised $81 million in the first 24 hours of becoming a candidate.

While Democrats have spent more in the race, MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, was the biggest spender in Pennsylvania, spending $62 million. The group has continued to spend money since Harris became a candidate, launching announcement this week attacking the vice president.

But the state’s most exorbitant contest so far is the high-stakes U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick, with nearly $193 million in spending on the race.

Democratic super PAC WinSenate spent $49 million on the campaign, the most by any group in the Senate race and the second-largest spending statewide.