Hillary Clinton is poised to start airing her first television commercials in California on Friday, a campaign official tells CNN, a sign she is taking seriously her challenge with Bernie Sanders in the state’s June 7 primary.
While Clinton is fewer than 100 delegates away from clinching the Democratic nomination, according to a CNN estimate of delegates and super delegates, she is still urging California voters to send a message in the primary. The initial advertising buy is less than $1 million, aides said, which is a modest sum to break through in this large state.
Her television spots are targeting Hispanic and Asian-American voters, campaign aides said, including ads that will be aired in Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese and other languages. Throughout the Democratic primary, Clinton has performed far better in states with diverse populations like California.
The ad will be similar to ones aired earlier in the campaign, narrated by Morgan Freeman. It will highlight the endorsement from civil rights activists Dolores Huerta. The ads will run in Fresno, Sacramento and L.A. media markets.
Sanders began airing his first California television ads this week. Clinton has all but ignored Sanders in her campaign appearances across California, but is still hoping to win the state and gain a majority of its 475 delegates.
“This primary on June 7 needs to send a real signal that Donald Trump will hear no matter where he is that California wants a positive future!” Clinton told supporters Tuesday evening in Riverside. “We want to finish strong and we want to send that message.”