The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has reserved more than $18 million in television advertising for the fall campaign as Democrats move to preserve their House majority.
House Democrats captured the majority in the 2018 midterm elections after nearly a decade out of power, flipping control of suburban districts that had traditionally voted Republican for Congress. The DCCC’s initial reservation for television advertising, first reported by Roll Call, reflected that, with House Democrats preparing to play defense in more than a half-dozen states where they ousted incumbent Republicans from suburban districts.
Slated for DCCC television ads are districts in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. The Democrats’ House campaign arm is also scheduled to advertise in Maine, where Democratic Rep. Jared Golden won the largely rural 2nd Congressional District, which voted for President Trump in 2016 by a margin of 10 percentage points.
As Roll Call elections analyst Nathan Gonzales pointed out, the districts where the DCCC has committed to advertise, at least for now, are in states with targeted Senate races and where the contest between Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is expected to be competitive.
The DCCC is likely to build on the first $18.3 million in fall advertising it has reserved so far. The National Republican Congressional Committee has not yet announced its post-Labor Day advertising plans. Congressional Leadership Fund, which is aligned with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and House Majority PAC, which is aligned with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, plan to spend at least $51 million and $43 million, respectively, this fall.
The DCCC’s ad buy per media market:
- Phoenix, Arizona — $1,830,000
- Miami, Florida — $1,970,000
- Atlanta, Georgia — $2,000,000
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa — $730,000
- Davenport, Iowa — $340,000
- Des Moines, Iowa — $1,252,800
- Bangor, Maine — $580,000
- Portland-Auburn, Maine — $790,000
- Presque Isle, Maine — $60,000
- Detroit, Michigan — $2,160,000
- Minneapolis, Minnesota — $2,090,000
- Las Vegas, Nevada — $2,210,000
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — $910,000
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — $1,000,000
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania — $400,000
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