Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have launched new television commercials as part of a significant battle to gain an advantage in this year’s altered campaign. Harris’s one-minute ad portrays her as “fearless” and showcases highlights of her political journey from her time as a courtroom prosecutor in California. The Democratic candidate, less familiar than Trump, is swiftly working to introduce herself to voters after stepping into the lead role following President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for reelection just over a week ago. The advertisement is airing during popular shows such as the Olympics, the Bachelorette, and the Daily Show, aiming to reach a wide audience.
Harris’s campaign revealed that this ad is the first of many in a $50 million advertising campaign leading up to the Democratic National Convention, which is scheduled to commence on August 19 in Chicago. In contrast, Trump is seeking to portray Harris in a negative light through his own 30-second commercial, focusing on her involvement in migration issues and labeling her as the “border czar,” holding her responsible for illegal border crossings into the United States. The ad highlights headlines about crime and drugs, categorizing Harris as “Failed. Weak. Dangerously liberal.”
Although border crossings saw record levels during the Biden administration, they have decreased more recently. The Trump campaign has allocated $12.2 million for television and digital ads over the following two weeks, according to data from the media tracking firm AdImpact. As of Tuesday morning, updated expenditure figures for the Harris campaign were not available.
