Biden campaign targets Michigan, other battleground states in $25M ad blitz

Lansing — President Joe Biden's reelection campaign is launching a $25 million ad blitz targeting battleground states, including Michigan, where commercials are slated to run in the Grand Rapids and Detroit markets.

The Democratic incumbent's team announced the ads on Sunday, three days before the first Republican presidential debate on Wednesday, and said the ads would air over the next 16 weeks. The ad push marked Biden's third major buy of the 2024 election cycle and showed a focus on Michigan.

The ads will run in seven key states in addition to Michigan: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

"This historic buy ensures that the president’s message reaches all Americans where they receive their news, and sends a clear sign that we are investing in an aggressive, meaningful and effective paid media strategy," said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden's campaign manager.

Biden won Michigan in 2020 over Republican then-President Donald Trump by 3 percentage points or 154,000 votes.

Two years later, Michigan swung heavily in Democrats' favor in the 2022 gubernatorial election. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer beat Republican Tudor Dixon by 11 percentage points in November. But the state is expected to be in play next year as Biden seeks a second term.

A crowded field of Republican candidates is campaigning for their party's nomination to challenge Biden, but early polling has shown Trump with a significant lead in the primary race.

Some of the GOP hopefuls are expected to participate in their first debate on Wednesday night. Fox News will host the event, which will take place in Milwaukee.

An ad released by the Biden campaign on Sunday focused on his efforts to revive the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was entitled "Fought Back."

The ad buy will make "critical and intentional investments" in African American and Hispanic-owned media properties, according to Biden's campaign.

cmauger@detroitnews.com