Republican presidential candidates have so far spent $105 million on TV advertisements in Iowa, with former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley leading the pack in spending for 2024, according to an NBC News analysis.
The Iowa caucus is less than two weeks away, and GOP candidates are making the final push in the state despite former president Donald Trump dominating the polls at over 50%, according to RealClearPolitics. The SFA Fund Inc., Haley’s super PAC, led the spending last year at $25 million and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ super PAC Never Back Down came in second at $17.6 million, with Trump’s super PAC MAGA Inc. putting up only $11.4 million, according to NBC News. (RELATED: Vivek Ramaswamy Says Voting For Trump Is A ‘Trap’ During Iowa Town Hall)
The SFA Fund is also set to lead the way in ad spending for the next two weeks at almost $3.3 million, according to NBC News. Haley’s campaign also spent an additional $1.3 million on TV advertisements for the new year.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to guests at a campaign event on December 19, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Trump’s campaign has spent over $950 million for ads that will hit Iowan’s screens over the next two weeks, with pro-DeSantis super PAC Fight Right close behind at $704 million, according to NBC News. Trump’s latest ad aired in early December and focused on touting Trump’s record compared to “bumbling” President Joe Biden.
Both Haley and DeSantis have released several ads that have largely focused on going after each other as the two have been vying for the second spot in the polls behind Trump, according to NBC News. Haley is currently in third at 16.1% and DeSantis is holding at 18.6% in the early primary state, according to RealClearPolitics.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy announced in December that his campaign would stop its televised ads ahead of the Iowa caucus, calling the spending “idiotic” and said that they had plans to do something different. Ramaswamy’s campaign had previously promised to spend up to $8 million in Iowa and $4 million in New Hampshire on advertising.
Tricia McLaughlin told the Daily Caller News Foundation that despite “$190 mm in traditional advertising” being spent on advertising nationally “polls have barely changed.”
“We spend our money to identify the Vivek voter and how we are spending that money to turn them out,” McLaughlin said. “Get ready for a major upset on Jan 15 and good luck to the political consultants who are reliant on traditional ad spending to line their pockets.”
Haley, DeSantis and Trump’s campaigns’ did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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