Bernie Sanders is the big spender. Pete Buttigieg is parsimonious. Amy Klobuchar is doing it the old fashioned way. Elizabeth Warren and Tulsi Gabbard are trying the buckshot approach. And almost everyone is throwing money at social media.
That’s a snapshot of first quarter advertising spending by top Democrats vying for the presidential nod.
A bunch of candidates declared late and their spending either is not recorded or they did buy advertising. This includes Joe Biden, who received massive promotion compliments of mainstream media and Kirsten Gillibrand, who was mostly ignored by the networks even though running an active pre-candidacy campaign.
Interesting tidbits:
- The candidate who was the first to announce (Andrew Yang) and who was last to declare (Pete Buttigieg) have each spent the least on advertising.
- The campaigns of Sanders and O’Rourke have both devoted over a million dollars in advertising, ranking them #1 and #2 in outlays. O’Rourke announced a day before Buttigieg and Sanders entered well after the pack of known Democrats.
- The campaign of Amy Klobuchar did not purchase any digital ads, preferring direct mail and face-to-face campaigning.
- Investment in print ads is all but absent with just two candidates going this route: Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang.
- Warren and Tulsi Gabbard were alone in buying radio promotions.
- Gabbard split her ad bucks among a dozen different venues and was the only candidate to buy billboards.
Here’s a look at the candidate spending from top ad dollars to the least:
- BERNIE SANDERS: $1,571897.59 (Candidacy Declared: February 19, 2019)
- BETO O’ROURKE: $1,277,742.00 (Candidacy Declared: March 13, 2019)
- KAMALA HARRIS: $1,000,000.00 (Candidacy Declared: January 21, 2019)
- ELIZABETH WARREN: $909,974.47 (Candidacy Declared: February 9, 2019)
- AMY KLOBUCHAR: $509,596.60 (Candidacy Declared: February 10, 2019)
- TULSI GABBARD: $407,906.75 (Candidacy Declared: January 11, 2019)
- JULIAN CASTRO: $154,465.42 (Candidacy Declared: January 12, 2019)
- CORY BOOKER: $143,185.05 (Candidacy Declared: February 1, 2019)
- ANDREW YANG: $37,829.08 (Candidacy Declared: November 6, 2017)
- PETE BUTTIGIEG: $1778.09 (Candidacy Declared: March 14, 2019)
Advertising Disbursement Details by Candidate (Alpha order)
CORY BOOKER: $143,185.05
DECLARED CANDIDACY: February 1, 2019
NEW HAMPSHIRE DEMOCRATIC PARTY: $5450.00
- Disbursed February 6 – $450.00 – Advertising
- Disbursed February 12 – $5,000.00 – Advertising
MOBILIZE AMERICA
- Disbursed February 12 – $5,000.00 – Digital Services
IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY: $35,000
- Disbursed February 26 – $20,000.00 – Voter File
- Disbursed March 15 – $15,000.00 – Voter File
RAPID RETURNS INC.
- Disbursed February 25 – $97,735.05 – Direct Mail Services
PETE BUTTIGIEG – $1778.09
DECLARED CANDIDACY: March 14, 2019
- Disbursed February 28 – $778.09 – Online Advertising
- Disbursed March 1 – $400 – Online Advertising
- Disbursed March 2 – $600 – Online Advertising
JULIAN CASTRO: $154,465.42
DECLARED CANDIDACY: January 12, 2019
DUABLE BRAND TRUST: $29,465.42
- Disbursed February 4 – $7462.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 2 – $4438.75 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 8 – $10,102.67 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 14 – $7462.00 – Digital Advertising
SAPPHIRE STRATEGIES: $125,000.00
- Disbursed March 18 – $25,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 20 – $100,000.00 – Digital Advertising
TULSI GABBARD: $407,906.75
DECLARED CANDIDACY: January 11, 2019
REVOLUTION MESSAGING: $274,174.05
- Disbursed January 14 – $274,000.J00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 20 – $174.05 – Internet Advertising
NORTHWEST DIGITAL: $131,500.00
- Disbursed January 17 – $67,000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 11 – $14,500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 25 – $50,000.00 – Internet Advertising
FACEBOOK: $41,812.47
- Disbursed February 9 – $50.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 10 – $25.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 12 – $35.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 13 – $50.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 14 – $75.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 15 – $75.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 17 – $175.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 19 – $7675.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 20 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 21 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 22 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 25 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 26 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 1 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 4 – $2700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 5 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 6 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 7 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 8 – $2092.47 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 11 – $4500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 13 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 15 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 18 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
GOOGLE: $50,300.00
- Disbursed February 20 – $2500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 25 – $1750.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 26 – $1050.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 27 – $700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 27 – $1400.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 1 – $5700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 4 – $1700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 5 – $1300.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 11 – $4000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 12 – $1000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 13 – $1500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 14 – $1100.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 15 – $1500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 18 – $8000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 18 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 19 – $1400.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 21 – $1000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 22 – $1500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 25 – $4500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 26 – $1500.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 27 – $1600.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 28 – $1000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 29 – $1500.00 – Internet Advertising
TWITTER: $3141.64
- Disbursed February 19 – $309.78 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 25 – $720.34 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 27 – $510.51 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 1 – $907.83 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 4 – $519.05 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 11 – $174.13 – Internet Advertising
OUTFRONT
- Disbursed March 13 – $11,500.00 – Advertising, Billboards
A1A OUTDOOR
- Disbursed March 14 – $13,150.00 – Advertising, Billboards
FOUR GABLES REALTY TRUST
- Disbursed March 15 – $5700.00 – Advertising, Billboards
IHEART MEDIA
- Disbursed March 21 – $1471.00 – Advertising, Radio
OHANA BROADCASTING COMPANY
- Disbursed March 21 – $1570.68 – Advertising, Radio
SUMMIT MEDIA
- Disbursed March 21 – $1486.91 – Advertising, Radio
8040 WILLOW STREET LLC
- Disbursed March 28 – $3600.00 – Advertising, Billboards
KAMALA HARRIS – $1,000,000.00
DECLARED CANDIDACY: January 21, 2019
AUTHENTIC CAMPAIGNS INC.
- Disbursed January 22 – $200,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed February 4 – $200,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed February 4 – $200,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 5 – $200,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 18 – $200,000.00 – Digital Advertising
AMY KLOBUCHAR: $509,596.60
DECLARED CANDIDACY: February 10, 2019
RAPID RETURNS
- Disbursed February 25 – $29,096.60 – Direct Mail Services
IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
- Disbursed March 1 – $30,000.00 – List Acquisition
ENGAGE USA
- Disbursed March 15 – $500.00 – Direct Mail Services
RISING TIDE INTERACTIVE
- Disbursed February 12 – $200,000.00 – List Acquisition
- Disbursed March 18 – $250,000.00 – List Acquisition
BETO O’ROURKE: $1,277,742.00
DECLARED CANDIDACY: March 13, 2019
MIDDLE SEAT
- Disbursed March 15 – $250,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 18 – $520,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 19 – $500,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 27 – $7742.00 – Digital Advertising
BERNIE SANDERS – $1,571897.59
DECLARED CANDIDACY: February 19, 2019
AISLE 518 STRATEGIES, LLC
- Disbursed February 21 – $500,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 6 – $254,722.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 14 – $600,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 19 – $67,175.59 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 26 – $150-,000.00 – Digital Advertising
ELIZABETH WARREN: $909,974.47
DECLARED CANDIDACY: February 9, 2019
BULLY PULPIT: $894,371.95
- Disbursed January 1 – $240,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed January 23 – $185,747.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed February 7 – $465,000.00 – Digital Advertising
- Disbursed March 13 – $3,624.95 – Digital Advertising
BAY STATE BANNER: $1,950.00
- Disbursed January 23 – $1,950.00 – Print Advertising
TURLEY PUBLICATIONS, INC: $325.00
- Disbursed February 23 – $325.00 – Print Advertising
EL TAPON RADIO: $2800.00
- Disbursed February 13 – $2800.00 – Radio Advertising
FACEBOOK: $9600.00
- Disbursed March 26 – $600.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 26 – $9000.00 – Internet Advertising
TWITTER: $927.52
- Disbursed March 26 – $723.30 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 30 – $204.22 – Internet Advertising
ANDREW YANG: $37,829.08
DECLARED CANDIDACY: November 6, 2017
LA PRENSA LLC
- Disbursed January 17 – $1650.00 – Advertising
FACEBOOK: $29,266.08
- Disbursed January 12 – $620.19 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 6 – $750.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 12 – $145.89 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 20 – $1650.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 21 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 22 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 23 – $2700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 24 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 25 – $1800.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 26 – $3600.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 27 – $2700.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed February 28 – $900.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 1 – $4000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 2 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 3 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 5 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 6 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 7 – $2000.00 – Internet Advertising
- Disbursed March 8 – $4000.00 – Internet Advertising
THE EPOCH TIMES ASSOC INC
- Disbursed February 26 – $863.00 – Print Advertising
WORLD JOURNAL
- Disbursed February 26 – $900.00 – Print Advertising
ALLEN M LLC
- Disbursed March 6 – $5150.00 – Advertising
GO BLINDLY 