Donald Trump will air nearly $2 million in Colorado TV ads in October, but he’ll be overshadowed by thousands of ads in two hot congressional races.
Republican presidential nominee Trump began airing ads last week, and reserved ad time through Nov. 7 in Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton hasn’t advertised in Colorado since the late July.
That’s according to contracts filed with the Federal Communications Commission by traditional and cable stations through Friday.
Colorado TV viewers can expect to see more than 83,000 ads consuming nearly 29 days of airtime in October at a cost of $30 million.
Of that, more than $12.8 million is being spent on two congressional races. In the 6th Congressional District in Aurora and suburban Denver, former Democratic state Senate President Morgan Carroll is trying to unseat GOP Rep. Mike Coffman. In the 3rd CD in southern and western Colorado, Republican Rep. Scott Tipton faces former state Sen. Gail Schwartz.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is airing ads bashing Carroll and Schwartz, while the House Majority PAC and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are attacking Coffman and Tipton.
The National Association of Realtors is also airing ads on Coffman’s behalf.
Meanwhile, the two Republican candidates are currently scheduled to outspend their Democratic opponents this month, though that could change.
In the presidential race, Trump and pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA will dominate the airwaves.
Priorities returns to the air today with $4.5 million for nearly 9,000 ads scheduled for October.
Contracts filed for the Trump campaign indicate he’ll run nearly 2,700 ads. Last week’s buys brings Trump’s total ad spending in Colorado to $3.4 million. That compares with Clinton’s $3.2 million, which included about $880,000 before the March caucuses.
Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet continues to air ads, though he’s canceled some contracts in Grand Junction and elsewhere, as has the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Darryl Glenn, Bennet’s Republican opponent, has yet to air any TV ads. The Conservative Campaign Committee PAC is airing radio ads on Glenn’s behalf, according to Federal Election Committee reports. But no outside groups have purchased TV advertising to support Glenn since late July.
Already, nearly $35 million worth of ads have aired since the start of 2016.
Here’s a look at all advertisers spending more than $10,000 so far:
