Why Ohioans are seeing so many political ads
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A pair of Columbus Clippers tickets or a trip to Easton Town Center's Legoland — Ohioans could buy either of these with the money spent so far to influence each of their U.S. Senate votes.
Why it matters: Our pivotal election could decide which party controls the Senate, causing hundreds of millions of dollars to pour into the state.
- That's why you're facing a barrage of Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno ads on seemingly every football commercial break, "Jeopardy!" episode and YouTube video.
Follow the money: Nearly $400 million has already been spent or reserved on ads for the Ohio race this cycle.
- That came out to $19.48 in Democratic spending per eligible voter and $24.05 on the Republican side, as of Sept. 9.
Yes, but: This doesn't even count the tens of millions being spent on other mail, digital and field programs.
The latest: Republicans are especially ratcheting up the spending as Election Day nears, with the party set to invest 2.4 times as much on video ads this month compared to August.
By the numbers: Brown continues to narrowly lead Moreno by 3.6% in the RealClearPolling average of recent voter surveys.
- Cook Political Report considers the race a toss-up.
- Former President Trump leads in Ohio by a polling average of 9%, suggesting there may be some crossover voters.
Zoom in: Some of Brown's ads reflect this, including one featuring his visit to the southern border with Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn.
- "I'm a Republican. Have been my whole life," the sheriff says.
- "I don't agree with Sherrod Brown on everything, but when it comes to fighting fentanyl, no one has done more than Sherrod Brown."
The other side: Recent Moreno ads highlight the border "crisis" and tie his candidacy to the GOP presidential ticket.
For what it's worth: Our voters can't feel as exhausted as those in the Treasure State.
- Democrats looking to keep Montana's incumbent Sen. Jon Tester in office have spent over $150 per voter in that race.
What we're watching: There's only so much money campaigns can spend on ads before the airwaves are oversaturated.
- 🤔 Is Ohio already at that point? Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts.