Both campaigns spent millions on TV ads—with very different messages

Voters got no break from the presidential campaign in October, new data from advertising intelligence firm AdImpact shows. The Trump and Harris campaigns spent a record $529 million on television advertising in October, which included purchasing nearly all of the commercial airtime in crucial swing states like Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

October’s tidal wave of ad spending also shows a race where Republican messaging still defines public perception—even among the Democratic insiders behind some of the campaign’s most effective messaging. That’s creating unexpected headaches for Harris in Arizona and Nevada, where the campaign has spent months courting Hispanic voters once considered safe Democratic votes.