Trump Campaign spends big on Ads in palm beach to keep Donors and the Boss Happy, insider says
Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Despite trailing Vice President Kamala Harris in fundraising, former President Donald Trump’s campaign is spending tens of thousands of dollars on ads in Palm Beach County, Florida—an effort that insiders admit may have little impact on the race itself.
On Tuesday, The Bulwark, an anti-Trump conservative outlet, reported that a “campaign insider” disclosed they are spending upwards of $50,000 to promote Trump’s campaign in and around Palm Beach County. The staffer confessed that this expenditure is partly motivated by a desire to avoid Trump’s wrath if he doesn’t personally see his campaign ads on TV.
“This is more about keeping the donors happy than the principal,” the source told The Bulwark. “There’s a lot of donors in Palm Beach. If spending $50k gets us $5 million, that’s a good ROI. If it makes the boss happy, too, then good.”
The ads are being aired in the same county where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located. The source mentioned that the campaign bought airtime on CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, and Fox News for a 15-second spot, though the content of the ad has not yet been disclosed.
While Palm Beach County is solidly Democratic—having voted for President Joe Biden over Trump by a 56-43 margin in 2020—Florida itself is considered a Republican stronghold. The state re-elected Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Marco Rubio by significant margins in 2022. However, in the Palm Beach media market, where the ad is running, Trump lost to Biden by approximately four points, reported the Daily Beast.
Trump’s decision to run ads in his home county has been welcomed by Florida Democrats, who see it as an opportunity to flip the state blue for the first time since 2012 when former President Barack Obama narrowly won Florida. Kevin Cate, a consultant who worked for Obama, recently tweeted that Trump spending money in Florida could be a sign of a potential Democratic landslide. “I think Trump spends first TV dollars in Florida (for his ego and against his team’s advice),” Cate wrote. “And that’s how you’ll know we’re in landslide territory.”
Despite The Bulwark’s portrayal of Florida as safely Republican, recent polls suggest the state may be more competitive than expected. An August survey from Public Policy Polling showed former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Florida) within the margin of error against Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida), a significant shift from earlier in the year.
Additionally, Harris has narrowed the gap with Trump in Florida, trailing by just four points according to the same poll, down from a seven-point deficit earlier. Some analysts believe Trump may be nearing his ceiling in Florida, while Harris may be at her floor—a dynamic that could reshape the state’s political landscape as the election approaches.
