Trump, RNC launch $10 million ad campaign


 Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing

September 30, 2019: The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee together spent $10 million on an ad campaign. Steve Bullock is expected to be the first candidate to apply for public financing.

 There are four new candidates running since last week, including one Democrat. In total, 880 individuals are currently filed with the FEC to run for president.

Notable Quotes of the Day

“You are spending at least a third to half your life on your mobile phone, and they’re deciding they don’t need to have a message for you there.”

– Zac Moffatt, Republican strategist on Biden’s online ad pullback

“From a brand perspective, [Biden] can’t be that incendiary and that’s what’s rewarded online.”

– Andrew Bleeker, Democratic digital strategist

Democrats

  • Joe Biden attended a fundraiser in Denver Saturday. Politico reported on the pro-Biden coalition in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
  • Cory Booker joined striking auto workers on the picket line in Maryland Saturday. Booker announced Sunday he had crossed the donor threshold for the November debate.
  • Steve Bullock will apply for tor public financing for his campaign after the end of the third quarter.
  • Pete Buttigieg campaigned in Nevada Saturday and Sacramento Sunday.
  • Julián Castro said he would not run for U.S. Senate in Texas if he were to leave the 2020 presidential race.
  • John Delaney’s Iowa state director departed his presidential campaign Friday. Brent Roske was named the new Iowa state director.
  • Tulsi Gabbard said Friday that she no longer opposed impeachment after reviewing the transcript summary of the call between Trump and the Ukranian president.
  • Kamala Harris opened a campaign office Sunday in her hometown of Oakland, California.
  • Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren spoke at a forum sponsored by the United Food and Commercial Workers in Michigan Sunday.
  • Bernie Sanders announced a plan Monday to increase the tax rate for corporations that make $100 million in annual revenue if their highest-paid employee earns more than 50 times the average worker.
  • Joe Sestak campaigned in Iowa Sunday, speaking at events for the Butler County Democrats and the Webster County Democrats.
  • Tom Steyer announced his “International Plan for Climate Justice,” which would spend $200 billion over 10 years to define and address environmental crimes against humanity.
  • Marianne Williamson is campaigning in Iowa Monday, including a stop at the Caucus for Kids and Drake University.
  • Andrew Yang is holding a campaign rally in Los Angeles Monday.

Republicans

  • The Donald Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee spent $10 million total on an ad campaign targeting Biden for alleged corruption in Ukraine and saying the Democrats want to steal the 2020 presidential election. 
  • Bill Weld will campaign in New Hampshire Monday, with stops at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and the Manchester Family Justice Center.

General Election Updates

  • Sept. 30 is the final day for fundraising in the third quarter. Financial reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by Oct. 15.

What We’re Reading

Flashback: September 30, 2015

CNBC announced its criteria for participation in the third Republican presidential primary debate: reach an average of 2.5 percent in national polls from a select group of organizations to make the main stage or reach 1 percent in any of those polls to make the undercard debate.