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Trump group, Senate candidates among biggest spenders on Google

Trump's Make America Great Again Committee dominated Google ad spending. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

The top political spenders on Google's ad platforms since the end of May include President Trump's political committee as well as individual candidates in competitive races, according to data the company released for the first time on Wednesday.

The big picture: New ad transparency initiatives on the part of major web platforms allow the public to see, to varying degrees, how online advertisers are trying to influence their votes.

Top spenders on Google's platforms since the last day of May, which includes the Search tool and YouTube, came from both sides of the aisle, including:

  • Trump's Make America Great Again Committee, which has spent $629,500 on ads.
  • The political group One Nation, which spent $440,300 on ads — at least some of which had conservative messages on immigration.
  • Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which spent $341,600.

Individual candidates have poured money into the platforms as well.

  • Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has spent $324,300 since May 31 on ads for his Senate campaign.
  • Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D), who is challenging Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in Texas, has spent $266,000.

Top keywords — or the terms advertisers can use to reach an audience — included "ACLU," "Diane Black" (the Republican member of Congress who ran for governor in Tennessee), and "Ron DeSantis," the lawmaker running for the Republican nomination to replace Scott as Florida's governor.

Google’s tallies include ads featuring candidates for federal office or incumbents, but not issue ads that talk about a contentious debate.

Go deeper: Google releases political ad directory

Go deeper

Jonathan Swan
18 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Scoop: CIA director Gina Haspel almost resigned over plan to install Kash Patel as deputy

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

CIA Director Gina Haspel almost resigned in early December after President Trump cooked up a hasty plan to install loyalist Kash Patel, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), as her deputy, according to three senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: The revelations stunned national security officials and almost blew up the leadership of the world's most powerful spy agency. Only a series of coincidences — and last minute interventions from Vice President Mike Pence and White House Counsel Pat Cipollone — stopped it.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Health: Coronavirus deaths reach 4,000 per day as hospitals remain in crisis mode — CDC warns highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March.
  2. Politics: Biden says, "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution — Biden taps ex-FDA chief to lead Operation Warp Speed amid rollout of COVID plan — Widow of GOP congressman-elect who died of COVID-19 will run to fill his seat.
  3. Vaccine: Battling Black mistrust of the vaccines — "Pharmacy deserts" could become vaccine deserts — Instacart to give $25 to shoppers who get vaccine.
  4. Economy: Unemployment filings explode again — Fed chair: No interest rate hike coming any time soon —  Inflation rose more than expected in December.
  5. World: WHO team arrives in China to investigate pandemic origins.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

NRA declares bankruptcy, says it will reincorporate in Texas

Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association (NRA) speaks during CPAC in 2016. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

The National Rifle Association said Friday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will seek to reincorporate in Texas, calling New York, where it is currently registered, a "toxic political environment."

The big picture: The move comes just months after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA, alleging the group committed fraud by diverting roughly $64 million in charitable donations over three years to support reckless spending by its executives.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow