As the midterm elections approach, many Republican candidates boast a massive cash advantage over their Democratic counterparts, primarily due to outside cash flooding races through GOP-aligned PACs such as MAGA Inc. and Senate Leadership Fund. But a new POLITICO poll shows that this cash hasn’t necessarily translated to a campaign visibility advantage for Republicans.
Despite heavily investing in airing advertisements in support of GOP candidates across numerous races, more than 70 percent of people surveyed for the poll said they had seen more advertisements in support of Democrats or an equal number of advertisements for candidates of both parties. This includes advertisements on social media, television, and other platforms.
Only 24 percent of respondents said that they had seen more advertisements for Republicans, despite the party’s 3-1 cash on-hand advantage against Democrats. This disparity sparked concern among Democratic candidates and operatives, who feared it might translate into a visibility advantage for Republicans candidates in a highly-contested election cycle.
Though Democratic-aligned groups have not matched outside spending in races by their Republican counterparts, candidates across the country have outraised Republican opponents through campaign donations, including in key battleground races. Candidates pay less to air ads on television than PACs do.
The party has also seen a spike in support nationwide amid widespread dissatisfaction with the Trump administration, which both Republican and Democratic voters believe could cost the GOP the House. The odds of Democrats retaking the Senate has also shifted further and further in the party’s favor as Nov. 3, the date of the midterm elections, draws nearer.