A new super PAC backed by Donald Trump is placing its first ad buys, as the ex-president invests in Republican candidates in the final stretch of the midterm election.
MAGA Inc., made an initial ad buy in the Columbus and Cleveland media markets and has also placed ads in Pittsburgh, according to AdImpact, a media tracking firm. Ohio and Pennsylvania have key Senate races where Trump endorsed earlier this year. AdImpact reported $135,650 worth of ads placed in Pittsburgh and another $276,000 in Columbus and Cleveland so far, although those numbers are expected to rise as more stations report buys.
The group’s last-minute spending comes amid criticism of Trump for not using more of his $100 million-plus war chest to boost candidates he endorsed in key 2022 races. MAGA Inc., which was formed less than two months before the November midterm elections, is slated to be the primary vehicle for Trump to spend in the final weeks of the campaign.
“We don’t telegraph ad spends or our strategy,” said a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., when asked about the total ad buy and what states the group plans to spend money in.
Some candidates backed by Trump in competitive races have been out-fundraised by their Democratic opponents. In Ohio, Trump-backed J.D. Vance has lagged millions of dollars behind his Senate opponent, Rep. Tim Ryan. So has Trump-backed Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, although outside groups have helped him close the gap against Democratic opponent John Fetterman.
Ohio and Pennsylvania are two of the most expensive battleground races in the country, but they could determine the balance of the evenly divided Senate.
The former president has acted as a Republican kingmaker during the 2022 midterms, endorsing candidates in major races across the country. Trump has held rallies, tele-rallies and fundraisers for candidates. But until now, his Save America PAC has not directed significant money toward critical — and expensive — advertising.
Trump also continues to travel in support of his favored candidates. This weekend, he will hold a pair of rallies with candidates he endorsed in Arizona and Nevada.
