By BILLY HOUSE/Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON – Here’s the latest evidence that North Carolina and Virginia have joined states like Florida as presidential battlegrounds: Barack Obama and John McCain continue to spend significantly on TV ads there.
“Advertising represents reality,” said Ken Goldstein, a professor with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project.
The Advertising Project analyzed the combined $15.5 million spent by the two candidates on TV ads in what it described as 17 “battleground” states from Sept. 6 through 13, the week after the political conventions concluded. Almost all of Obama's ads were paid for by the candidate's campaign, while more than half of the McCain ads were aired with help from the Republican National Committee.
Pennsylvania topped all states nationally. The two candidates spent a combined $2.5 million there, with McCain spending $1.6 million and Obama spent $948,000.
Florida, another traditional “swing-state,” ranked second. McCain spent more than $1 million in Florida and Obama more than $1.3 million, totaling more than $2.3 million. Tampa was the 8th busiest television market nationally on both candidates’ list.
But Virginia and North Carolina, two states that President Bush was able to carry decisively in both 2004 and 2000, also continued to be among top advertising targets, even as the race heads into its stretch run.
Virginia ranked sixth among all states in the money spent by the candidates on TV advertising, combining for more than $1.1 million. Obama out-advertised McCain by nearly 3-1, spending $868,000 to McCain’s $312,000.
North Carolina ranked 10th. But the advertising dollars were more even there, with McCain spending $245,000 and Obama $300,000.
“Looking where ads are being run tells us what the candidates are thinking,” said Goldstein. “Campaigns only run ads in states they think they can win, or where they think they can bait the other side into spending money.”
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.
“Advertising represents reality,” said Ken Goldstein, a professor with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project.
The Advertising Project analyzed the combined $15.5 million spent by the two candidates on TV ads in what it described as 17 “battleground” states from Sept. 6 through 13, the week after the political conventions concluded. Almost all of Obama's ads were paid for by the candidate's campaign, while more than half of the McCain ads were aired with help from the Republican National Committee.
Pennsylvania topped all states nationally. The two candidates spent a combined $2.5 million there, with McCain spending $1.6 million and Obama spent $948,000.
Florida, another traditional “swing-state,” ranked second. McCain spent more than $1 million in Florida and Obama more than $1.3 million, totaling more than $2.3 million. Tampa was the 8th busiest television market nationally on both candidates’ list.
But Virginia and North Carolina, two states that President Bush was able to carry decisively in both 2004 and 2000, also continued to be among top advertising targets, even as the race heads into its stretch run.
Virginia ranked sixth among all states in the money spent by the candidates on TV advertising, combining for more than $1.1 million. Obama out-advertised McCain by nearly 3-1, spending $868,000 to McCain’s $312,000.
North Carolina ranked 10th. But the advertising dollars were more even there, with McCain spending $245,000 and Obama $300,000.
“Looking where ads are being run tells us what the candidates are thinking,” said Goldstein. “Campaigns only run ads in states they think they can win, or where they think they can bait the other side into spending money.”
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.