Kamala Harris media blitz shows Arizona is officially a battleground state again
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Kamala Harris at a 2020 campaign event. Photo: Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images
Arizonans are about to be flooded with political ads as both major party presidential campaigns pour millions of dollars into TV spots for the next two weeks.
Why it matters: The big-dollar spending shows that Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy has officially put Arizona back up for grabs.
- Previously, former President Trump had taken a large polling lead against President Biden and the Trump campaign rated Arizona the easiest swing state to win.
Driving the news: The Harris campaign announced a $50 million ad buy across battleground states including Arizona on Tuesday — her first major media blitz since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
- The new ad, titled "Fearless," highlights the vice president's experience as a prosecutor and attorney general of California — and criticizes Trump, with Harris accusing him of wanting "to take our country backward."
- "We believe in a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead," Harris says in the ad.
Between the lines: The ad comes as the Harris campaign has seen record fundraising, high-profile endorsements and social media excitement.
- More than 2,000 new volunteers have signed up to assist the campaign in Arizona since Harris' announcement and the campaign held more than 65 events across the state in her first weekend as the presumptive nominee.
The other side: Trump's team is attempting to stop Harris' momentum in Arizona and other swing states with a $12 million ad buy of his own. That includes nearly $2 million in media spending in Arizona, according to AdImpact.
- MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned super PAC, is also spending millions on Harris attack ads in battleground states over the next several weeks, per Politico.
What we're watching: Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, who is reportedly on the shortlist to be Harris' running mate, could boost her chances of winning in Arizona.
- In both of his Senate elections, he received more votes than any other Democrat on the ballot, including about 44,000 more than Biden in 2020, per official election results.