With the November election only four months away, the strategic use of campaign funds has never been more important.
Though President Donald Trump's campaign boasts a massive war chest, some Republican voters have grown increasingly frustrated with both the campaign's and the Republican National Committee's extensive text messages and emails asking for donations.
This comes as Democratic nominee Joe Biden's campaign outraised Trump's for two months in a row, possibly signaling a growing enthusiasm for Biden's candidacy.
The Trump campaign recently disclosed that it bought 38 thousand dollars' worth of television ads on Fox News in the D.C. area.
The Trump campaign has placed a Fox News-only buy in DC cable zones. 8/3-8/16 flight, $38K total
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) August 3, 2020
D.C. has only three electoral college votes and is considered solid blue territory. It neighbors Maryland, which has voted blue in every election since 1992, and Virginia—a technical swing state where Biden leads by an average of 10 points.
The ad sales on Fox News seemed like a waste of money, until people began speculating that the campaign was willing to pay to keep Trump—an avid watcher of Fox—feeling secure.
The fact the Trump campaign is still placing ads in DC just to make Trump feel better while he watches Fox News is hilarious.
Trump's ego is more fragile than a leaf in the winter. https://t.co/ckholNOyW8
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 3, 2020
Having lived 25+ years in DC area (District, suburban MD, northern VA), can say with certainty that $3.8 million ad buy would not give @realDonaldTrump chance to win there.
This ad buy is campaign's effort to stroke Trump's ego when he spends hours each day watching Fox News. https://t.co/Cws0DC458D
— Steven Pifer (@steven_pifer) August 3, 2020
Vanity buy. Audience of One. https://t.co/zsTvTbuB5e
— J.R. McGrail 📎 (@JRMcGrail) August 3, 2020
Funny how this happened right after we ran #CreepyTrump in DC cable zones. Did we hurt your fragile ego @realDonaldTrump? https://t.co/Cxyl3DHWm0
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) August 3, 2020
For a few days this should sooth the fragile ego of a temper tantrum throwing Trump who is getting his ass beat by Joe Biden all over the country! https://t.co/rzxUi8wssa
— Greg Kelly (@HawkiGreg) August 3, 2020
It's not the first time the Trump campaign has done this either. Another $38 thousand ad buy on Fox in D.C. occurred for the last week in July.
😂😂😂 they're buying ads (in a city that votes 90% Democrat) just to keep Trump happy. Really shows the contempt of the people around him that they just pacify him like this. https://t.co/fJr1dPw3Bs
— Joe Graham (@J_Graham93) July 23, 2020
***Someone*** definitely just complained to their team that ***they*** weren't seeing any ads and had to spend almost $40k on that complaint. https://t.co/LQMU3wLjBx
— Nichole Sessego (@MsSessegs) July 23, 2020
Trump campaign dropping $38k on ads specifically for Trump to see when he binge watches Fox News. https://t.co/z91WvkiKKT
— Brett Heinz (@brtthnz) July 23, 2020
Yes, because there are so many would-be Trump voters in D.C. who watch Fox News.
Or not.
This ad is for Donald Trump himself to watch on his TV in the White House. https://t.co/FVOVMSH0LO
— Joshua Flournoy (@jflo_1976) July 23, 2020
The pettiness that characterizes Trump among his critics was simultaneously on full display.
Just before the news broke, Trump railed against claims that he didn't generate crowds at recent appearances in Florida and Texas.
My visits last week to Texas and Florida had massive numbers of cheering people gathered along the roads and highways, thousands and thousands, even bigger (by far) than the crowds of 2016. Saw no Biden supporters, and yet some in the Fake News said it was an equal number. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2020
That didn't exactly bolster his image.
This tweet is just pathetic, much like your response to #COVID19.
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) August 3, 2020
Yikes. pic.twitter.com/DtShzcbeRk
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) August 3, 2020
Oh, honey... pic.twitter.com/1XNw3lKch4
— Jamie Schler (@lifesafeast) August 3, 2020
Trump campaign officials told NBC News last week that ad buys in swing states had been canceled as the campaign reevaluates its messaging.
