Republican presidential campaigns and outside groups supporting them have spent nearly $8 million in TV advertisements so far ahead of next week’s first GOP debate — which is restricted to the candidates in the Top 10 of the national polls.
The biggest spenders, according to the ad-buying data from SMG Delta: 1) A non-profit backing Marco Rubio called Conservative Solutions Project (which doesn’t have to disclose its donors); and 2) A group supporting John Kasich.
By comparison, only about $1 million was spent at this point in the GOP presidential contest, per SMG Delta.
The only Democratic entity that has been spending money on a presidential candidate is the Super PAC supporting Martin O’Malley — and it’s just $25,000.
The GOP TV ad spending
- Conservative Solutions Project (Pro-Rubio): $2.6 million
- New Day for America (Pro-Kasich): $2.1 million
- Opportunity and Freedom PAC (Pro-Perry): $1.3 million
- Believe Again PAC, American Future Project, America Next (Pro-Jindal): $1.1 million
- Christie campaign, America Leads PAC (Pro-Christie): $500,000
- We The People, Not Washington (Pro-Pataki): $272,000
- Cruz campaign: $35,000
- Paul campaign: $12,000
- Fiorina campaign: $3,000
- TOTAL: $7,922,000
- SOURCE: SMG Delta as of 7/24/15