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Trump/Biden Ad War Changing In Final Days Before Election

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The campaign ad war between President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden and groups that support them has been fairly even in Ohio.  But the final stretch shows the candidates are changing their spending plans for this state.

The Trump campaign has canceled all but around $3 million of the $18 million it planned to spend on Ohio TV ads from Labor Day to Election Day.

President Trump and Joe Biden in a screenshot from the debate in Cleveland on September 29.
President Trump and Joe Biden in a screenshot from the debate in Cleveland on September 29. [PBS NewsHour]
The Biden campaign is outspending Trump by buying just over $5 million in ads in Ohio.

Nick Everhart is a Republican consultant who monitors campaign media spending in Ohio and nationally. Though Trump and Biden are in a virtual dead heat in Ohio, Everhart suggested Trump is focusing limited resources on other states.

“You can only be on the air for where you can pay for. And on some level, they’ve had to scrape back the spending here and delay starts or bring point levels now so they can be up other places,” Everhart said.

Trump’s ads will air in Ohio’s three biggest markets in the final week, while Biden’s ads will air in those cities and Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown from now until Election Day.