It’s no secret that campaign spending in the United States is astronomically high. In 2020, Democratic candidate Joe Biden raised a total of $1.69 billion, while the Republican candidate, incumbent President Donald Trump, raised $1.96 billion. This outpaced all previous elections for the most money raised in a presidential race.
In the same year, the Democratic gubernatorial incumbent in North Carolina, Roy Cooper, raised $41 million, while the republican candidate, former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, raised $11.7 million.
Considering that North Carolina is one of the seven swing states in this election, alongside Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Arizona, it’s no secret that its 16 electoral votes could be a game changer on the path to 270 for either Trump or Harris.
In the 2024 race, Kamala Harris’ campaign president began a little more than two months ago. Despite this rapid entry, Kamala Harris raised $200 million in her first week as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Since her dramatic entrance, Harris has raised $690 million as of Aug. 31. This doubles Trump’s fundraising at $313 million as of the same date. Both candidates understand North Carolina as a pivotal state in determining the election outcome, so they have wasted no time in spending money in North Carolina.
But how are national and down-ballot campaigns spending their money in the Tarheel state?
As of early September, Harris has spent $68.2 million in advertisements in North Carolina, with Trump narrowly trailing at $55.7 million. Harris has a significant fundraising advantage over Trump, which led to a Trump-allied PAC announcing they would be extending their ad buy by $70 million in North Carolina for the final weeks of the election. In a race currently at a dead heat in North Carolina, according to the latest polling, the spending of both the Harris and Trump campaigns could have a sizable impact on who wins the state and perhaps the election.
While the presidential race draws much of the national spotlight, the gubernatorial election in North Carolina is equally critical to the state’s political future. Candidates Josh Stein (D) and Mark Robinson (R) are locked in their high-stakes battle, with both campaigns pouring substantial resources into ensuring their victories. Stein raised $32.9 million in July compared to Mark Robinson’s $15.8 million.
Since then, Robinson has been involved in numerous scandals, including most recently, a CNN investigation that alleged he posted explicit remarks on a pornographic website — such as “I’m a Black NAZI!”
As a result, the Republican Governors’ Association (RGA), a group dedicated to electing Republicans to governorships, announced last Monday that they would not spend more money to support the lieutenant governor. With the latest polling in the state showing Stein up seventeen percentage points, this pullout from the RGA will certainly not help Robinson in his bid for governor.
Democratic spending in the attorney general race has also gained much attention. The Democratic candidate Jeff Jackson and Republican candidate Dan Bishop each are fighting for the coveted attorney general spot. According to the latest campaign deadlines, Jackson raised almost three times as much as Bishop from Feb. 18 to June 30. The most recent polling from September suggests Jackson is ahead, with 43% of likely voters preferring him over Bishop’s 36%; however, 21% of likely voters remain undecided. In a race that was virtually tied in March, it’s clear that the spending by the Jackson campaign is making a sizable difference.
As the campaigns escalate spending, North Carolina remains a crucial battleground where every dollar could tip the scales in this pivotal election season.
