Swing state Arizona projected to lead U.S. in 2024 campaign spending
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The 2024 election cycle is expected to be the most expensive in U.S. history, and more of that money is projected to be spent in Arizona than any other state, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.
By the numbers: The advertising tracking company AdImpact estimated that $821 million will be spent in Arizona for the current election cycle.
- That's nearly $100 million more than the projected No. 2 state, Pennsylvania.
Zoom in: AdImpact expects spending in the presidential race to hit $2.1 billion, with 76% being spent in seven states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
- The firm also projects $2.1 billion will be spent in Senate races, $1.7 billion in House races, $361 million in gubernatorial and $3.3 billion in down-ballot races.
Between the lines: Historically red Arizona has become a hotly contested swing state in recent years.
- President Biden defeated former President Trump by just 10,457 votes in Arizona in 2020.
- We'll also have one of the biggest U.S. Senate races in the country next year. Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego is running for the seat held by Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, while Kari Lake and Blake Masters may join Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb on the GOP side.
- Races for the 1st and 6th congressional districts are likely to attract lots of spending from both sides as well.
Catch up quick: Biden was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Arizona since Bill Clinton in 1996. Before that, the most recent was Harry Truman in 1948.
- Sinema was the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Arizona since 1988.