Pro-Clinton Democrats are buying up ad time at local television and radio stations in key swing states, Politico reports, aiming to lock in low rates and lay the groundwork to dominate traditional media before the Republican Party can even lock in a nominee.
One Democratic group alone, Priorities USA Action, has already spent more than $90 million in ad buys in just seven states, purchasing heavily in the Florida and Ohio markets. And that's just the beginning.
"What you have here is the foundation," explains David Axelrod, a top strategist from both of President Obama's campaigns who says Democrats are buying now in attempt to preempt the coming "glut" of election spending in these battleground states. Online ads, he suggests, will come next: "It'll be interesting to see what ancillary buys they make, not just on TV, but radio, digital. This is just foundation-laying."
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On the Republican side, the ongoing primary battle has kept all campaigns and conservative organizations from making similar large-scale, long-term ad investments.
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