Staff Reports
After President Biden’s dramatic exit from the 2024 campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris has taken center stage as the Democratic counterpart in this year’s presidential race. With just two and a half months to go until Election Day, viewers in key battleground states are likely to be inundated with ads singing her praises—alongside a flurry of spots aimed at shredding her image to pieces. It seems both parties have hit the panic button with taxpayer wallets suffering the consequence, as the advertising spend is already eclipsing previous cycles.
In a bid to introduce Harris to the masses, an astonishing $90 million has been earmarked by her campaign to promote her personal “narrative.” The ad strategy consists of presenting her as a middle-class warrior—quite the far stretch, considering her San Francisco roots. Armed with heartwarming anecdotes of working at McDonald’s and being a “daughter of a single working mom,” her ads aim to paint her as the relatable choice against the “dangerous, extreme agenda” of Trump. Yet, the truth is likely to be a little less “happily ever after” and far more closely aligned with her record of soft-on-crime policies that she dutifully supported during her tenure as district attorney.
The Donald Trump campaign is up on TV in battleground states with this spot hitting Kamala Harris on illegal immigration/her record as DA — pic.twitter.com/KgOoGxEkP9
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) August 12, 2024
As July turned into August, the spending juggernaut rolled into gear, with campaign expenses hitting $247 million—19% more than a similar timeframe in August 2020. Ads featuring the soon-to-be official Democratic nominee have flooded airwaves in several states including Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia, showcasing her “toughness” on issues while simultaneously launching full-throttle attacks from GOP super PACs like Make America Great Again Inc. These counter-ads have swiftly branded Harris as a “dangerously liberal” figure, focusing on her lightweight handling of crime during her days in San Francisco, where lowering crime rates was clearly not a top priority.
One prominent ad from MAGA Inc. has called her the “architect of the worst border crisis in American history,” utilizing her own words that strangely express radical views when it comes to law enforcement. The accusation that she’s soft on crime is magnified by the fact that Harris has been linked to funding for bail-out initiatives that benefited violent offenders. It’s a classic case of “the victim’s blood is on her hands,” and this argument resonates loudly in a nation that values law and order.
Amid the deluge of advertising, the GOP continues to hammer home their message about Harris’ ties to the chaos at the southern border, highlighting her role as Biden’s so-called “border czar.” As border security remains a hot-button issue for American voters, they exploit every misstep in her political career to underline that a vote for Harris is a vote for continued anarchy. Using clips from campaign speeches and her actual track record, they draw a stark contrast between her and Trump, who is still perceived as the tough-on-crime candidate.
The barrage of ads is set to escalate leading into the Democratic National Convention, where Harris will officially receive her nomination. But her battle to craft a palatable image in such a short time frame is akin to polishing a rusty old car—no matter how much tire shine is applied, the people at the wheel are still the same. And with Republicans gearing up for a $100 million ad deployment, Harris might just find herself navigating a campaign season that feels less like a stroll in the park and more like a rollercoaster ride.
