Long before Donald Trump swatted away his Republican presidential rivals, his likely Democratic opponent and her allies began laying traps for him.
Priorities USA, the lead super PAC backing Hillary Clinton, has already reserved $91 million in television advertising that will start next month and continue through Election Day. In addition, Clinton’s campaign and Priorities USA have both debuted online videos that cast Trump in a negative light — a preview of what voters will see on TV over the next six months.
So far, Priorities USA is the only group on either side that has rolled out such an ambitious advertising plan geared toward the general election. The group’s leaders say they’re trying to avoid what they see as the core mistake made by Trump’s Republican rivals — not pushing hard enough against him until it was too late.
“There’s a reason that we have a head start,” said Justin Barasky, a Priorities USA spokesman, “and it’s that we’ve taken Donald Trump seriously all along, unlike the Republicans.”
The group’s ad strategy will test what has been a hallmark of Trump’s GOP primary rise: his ability to withstand — even thrive in the face of — tens of millions of dollars in attack ads.
An Associated Press review of Priorities USA’s TV buys, collected by Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group, reveals a formidable 22-week advertising blitz through what the group considers key battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.
In those states, Priorities USA will start ads in major metropolitan areas, then broaden its outreach to smaller cities as the November election approaches. The group will also start ads on satellite TV in September.
According to the CMAG data, Priorities USA plans to spend about $4 million a week through most of June. The group then slows spending through July, taking off the weeks of the Republican and Democratic conventions, when widespread television coverage essentially provides free media time for the candidates.
Priorities USA returns to the airwaves in August and begins unloading $60 million in ads between September and Election Day. The week of the election, Priorities USA plans to spend about $8 million in the seven battleground states.
The heaviest concentration is in Florida, where the group has reserved $23 million in time, mostly in Orlando and in Tampa.
The group also plans to spend about $19.5 million in the traditional presidential bellwether state of Ohio. More than half is for Cleveland, Akron and Columbus.
There’s no substantive GOP counterweight to the pro-Clinton effort — partly because Trump has repeatedly trashed big donors and called the outside groups that can raise unlimited money from them “corrupt.”
As the presumptive GOP nominee, Trump is now beginning his outreach to donors. But even if he fully embraces outside help, he’s far behind: One super PAC backing him, Great America, was almost $700,000 in debt at the end of March.
Another group that was a major player in the 2012 race, American Crossroads, is still “evaluating what our specific role will be,” said spokesman Ian Prior.
Television ads are only one part of Priorities USA’s strategy. It is putting at least $35 million into online advertising between June and Election Day, Barasky said. Those ads will largely aim to drive up turnout among core Democratic groups: African-Americans, Hispanics, women and younger voters, Barasky said.
Trump is already getting a taste of what some these ads will say.
On Thursday, Priorities USA overlaid audio of Trump talking about “unifying” the Republican Party with images of violence that has erupted inside and outside of his massive rallies. “I think we’re going to win in November,” Trump says at the end. “NOPE,” reads text on the screen. “Vote for Hillary Clinton.”
That follows an online video the Clinton campaign put out Wednesday that features clips of prominent Republicans, including his former rivals, bashing Trump in every possible way.
“He needs therapy,” says former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at the end of the spot.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
With me the more they try to stop him the more it makes me know that we that back Trump will continue to back him. Clinton and Sanders was behind all of the protesters and the violence. They even admitted it on Andrea Mitchels show right after the first one in Chicago. He was one of Sanders advisers. Let them try to keep him from getting the vote. The reason they are afraid of Trump is he is an outsider and they can’t control him. I personally think that RINO Paul Ryan should excuse him self fron the Convention as he is not the right person to handle the convention with how he is acting. If you agree then pass this along
Killary has violent supporters as well as Bernie. Mr. Trump has had two that stepped out of line. Everything else is the fault of the dems and media. They instigate. It’s all right there for us to see. Wtf do they think we can’t see who provokes the violence. It’s not the Trump supporters. These morons who only know what little bit they catch on these ronchy news stations need to not vote. Most of them have no clue why they plan to vote for either killary or bernie. The she bitch only because she has a vagina and the bern cuz of all the free goodies. Lmao!
No wonder people are ready to settle on Mars.
I’ve already written to Ryan twice to tell him how disgusted I am with him, along with millions of other voters, I’m sure. He’s a disgrace.
Yep, the repugs spent 400 Million on trying the same thing, go ahead and waste your money stimulating the economy, we’ll ignore you ignorant schmucks too. It’s time for a clean-up of America and the politics that have brought us down
Billionaire, George Soros has been funding BLM and MoveOn for months. Apparently, sources inside the Soros camp say that Soros is planning a huge disruption in Cleveland (why is this not illegal?). Soros is Hillary’s BFF this year and has been putting a huge amount of money into ads for her (he funded Obama in 2008). Another of Hillary’s well-heeled fans is another billionaire, Hiam Saban, who said he is willing to spend “any amount of money to see that Hillary is elected”. With her big bank and Wall Street connections, they will be pouring an extraordinary amount of money into attack ads and Hillary promotions. Hopefully, the American people will, in the main, be resistant to this kind of propaganda.
Please vote TRUMP 2016!
Money thrown away. Nothing is going to change the minds of Trump supporters, so this will be spent in hope that those opposed to Trump stay that way. Sooner or later, some of those that do not understand the allure for a man completely out of the box will realize he is worth more than all the elected representatives in Washington combined. He has “his” and has made his mark in life. Therefore, he may be doing all this for his family and the future of the entire Country. He realizes a socialist country cannot exist for long without capitalism, Someone has to make the money others are dependent upon. The Soviet Union, Greece and China are proof of this. Obama will “save” Cuba by allowing capitalism to support a failed regime. Trump knows that industrial production must be brought back to save us from becoming Venezuela.
Amen
But you left out one very important fact.
Trump supporters don’t care what anyone says or thinks we are behind him 100%
Hillary wants more uncontrolled immigration. Obama permitted felons in and they continued on their merry way murdering, raping, robbing and many other crimes. Is she going to protect us? Or will she permit these tragedies like Obama? Will she make a commitment to resign if any of these things happen? Police aren’t permitted to do their job so who the hell is going to protect us?
When did she make a sound decision? Can anyone really expect this do gooder to make sound decisions? Lottsa luck
Obama has a 5% unemployment rate. How come 85+ million don’t have jobs? Utilization of the jobs is 62% .5% growth of the economy?
Why is it every generation thinks they have all the answers yet all have failed for the same reasons. Kinda makes you think “YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID”
The Democrats think everyone is a moron, that we actually believe these fake unemployment rates which are actually over 20%. The economy is in the toilet and ObaMAO wants us all to think he resurrected the economy. He is a miserable failure, but what’s worse, a terrorist sympathizer and a traitor!
“…Democrats think everyone is a moron…” That’s because all of THEIR supporters ARE. Democrats believe what they are told to believe (over and over and over). In any other setting, this would be called “brainwashing”. No wonder Hillarybots get this glassy-eyed stare when they talk about her.
It is really disgraceful that the Dems would spend that kind of money on attack ads. Do they not realize that money could go so far helping needy people, fixing roads, on and on. Makes them look Nasty and Selfish. Guess it will be down to “TRUMP or the FRUMP”.
I like “Vote for Trump, NOT the Frump” better. ;-D
To the Democrat “maggots” out there supposedly lying in wait to attack Trump: BRING IT ON!!
Trump’s not going to hold anything back on Bill & Hitlary. NOTHING!!
And in the meantime, the FBI probe with the ever-deepening scandal/corruption it is uncovering is MILLIONS of FREE NEGATIVE NEWS that will be spread throughout the country.
To steal a line from a current best-selling T-shirt: Hillary for President? Please!! Instead, think Hillary for PRISON, 2016!!
And with that, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!
It will be a good lesson to learn. Money should not be the means to elect our president.
America will chew up and spit such filthy-lie ads back in the Hill’s face. We all know the protesters were anti-america scum organized by rivals who’s only hope of winning is to do dispicable acts in attempt to block the people from hearing Trump speak the truth and then try to spin desperate lies. The videos are out there. The people who flocked to hear Trump were law abiding Americans passionate about America. The alleged Anti-Trump protestors were lawless scum gathered by pros to burn the flag of the United States, dress up as bandits and wave the flag of Mexico, defy and attack the police, riot in the streets, destroy public property, and pepper spray & beat American citizens who just wanted to hear presidential candidate Trump talk about what he would do for America. While others shoved their naked breasts in citizens faces to turn them away. Go ahead Hillary and align yourself with these protestors. Maybe you can be president of Mexico.
What is amazing to read are the comments from the Trump supporters. You do understand these ads will only reflect his own, divisive words which have come out of his mouth since he entered his candidacy. No one is making anything up about him, it is what he believes and he is a threat to this country and an abhorrent choice to our allies. I just hope and pray the GOP comes up with an Independent to step in as an alternative choice to this fraudulent egotist. Rand Paul would be a good choice.
You are as much of a disgrace as Ryan who is despicable for saying what he has said. Are you even a Republican? I voted for Romney/Ryan and McCain and Bush even though they weren’t my choice in the Primaries. Why? Because I would never vote for a liberal Democrat nor allow one to try to win if I can help it. Trump has said nothing divisive. If being against ILLEGAL immigration is a bad thing and keeping Muslims from Syria and elsewhere out who are undocumented and pose a threat to our security is being divisive, than I guess they invented a new meaning for the word! Get a clue, please!
Right on and well said, Kimberly
For me, your Sir. Trump very arrogant type, attached all of the rows of people because of their aims to introduce it’s family in the white house.
I no one is perfect, so you do not have a medal each has a face and becks. All what you promise in the campaign is a lie.
With candles height Sir. Trump need you a little you to climb among the people ????????
This comment makes no sense at all!
What planet is Zinka from???
Do not want to vote for Trump…
“…Do not want to vote for Trump…”
Then don’t. It’s still a free country. (Although, if Hillary gets elected, who knows how long that will continue?) And you think Trump is arrogant? He doesn’t begin to match Hillary Clinton in arrogance and presumption. ALL politicians tend to have healthy egos but Hillary thinks she is a queen. Did you know that she stole the silver flatware from the State Dining Room when she and Bill left the White House in 2000? They stole a bunch of other stuff too but were forced to give it back. They never returned the silver though. That’s just a sample of her many misdeeds. Wake up and get a clue.
What are Trump supporters going to do when no wall is built the job’s he promised don’t happen there is no wage increase . And then he blames the party for his failures.
Could the crazy liberals have picked a worse candidate than Hil-liar-y? I guess that old crochety Socialist, but he’s probably not as crooked. Trump in ’16! It’s time to get these commie, terrorist-loving liberals out of office and get the country employed again by someone other than a community organizer.
This will probably be the roughest election season in our lifetime. Throughout the primary season Donald had no problem delivering caustic remarks toward his opponents. That is likely to continue. Unlike his primary challengers, the Clintons have a track record of destroying peoples’ reputations.
By time election day arrives most voters may have concluded that neither Trump nor Clinton is fit to hold office.
America , America, god shed his grace on thee, and he sent us Donald trump, thank you lord , now lets get him into office, go trump go
HEY..HEY.
I think we need to find a way to change the House and Senate terms.
Four years..gone….then no need for corruption on getting funding for elections again….
The ratings are deplorable….send them home..they are useless to us.
Trump should get ammo on Dems, Hillary etc & fire back & take names down alone.
A-Z since the 50s alone.
Use history against the Dems esp since the Civil War ended
& 1960s Civil Rights.
Dont play nice, like them Play dirty.
KEEP CROOK HIL-LIAR-Y OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE. WE THE PEOPLE, DON’T NEED TO SUPPORT BILL’S WHITE HOUSE SEXUAL PLAYGROUND AGAIN!