Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has canceled television ad buys totaling $3 million in the early nominating states and shifted his resources to the ground game instead, according to his campaign.
The move comes as Right to Rise, a super PAC supporting Bush’s candidacy, has purchased several million-dollar ad buys on the airwaves in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire.
The Bush campaign will cancel slightly more than $1 million of advertising in Iowa and nearly $2 million in South Carolina as the campaign shifts its focus to direct contact with voters.
“Today, given the fluid race and the spending decisions made by outside groups, we are making strategic adjustments with our resources to ensure we are in the most competitive position possible,” said Allie Brandenburger, Bush spokeswoman, in a statement. “We are excited about the massive Jeb army that will be spreading his message to voters on the ground in the February states and beyond.”
And while the Bush campaign canceled millions of dollars in advertising in Iowa and South Carolina, it moved some reserved advertising up in the schedule in New Hampshire and has plans to remain on television through the first-in-the-nation primary.
The news that Bush has pulled more cash out of Iowa than New Hampshire could lead to speculation that the governor is looking past the Hawkeye State with fewer than six weeks remaining until the first caucuses. But Brandenburger said the changes will allow Iowans to have more face-to-face contact with Bush and his supporters.
“[T]his cycle, more than any in recent memory, has demonstrated that paid media takes a back seat to earned media and debates in terms of driving ballot share, the shift to ground resources reflects that,” Brandenburger said. “With these changes, more than ten paid campaign staffers will be deployed to the state and the team will expand to over 20 staffers.”
And the shift in the Bush campaign’s strategy reinforces the former governor’s plan to bet big on New Hampshire as crucial to his path to the GOP nomination. Bush performs better in polling of the Granite State than either Iowa or South Carolina, according to Real Clear Politics averages of early state polling.
Bush ranks fifth in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings.
