Donald Trump has begun buying up time for television ads to begin this weekend, though he and his allies are likely to still be outspent over the next two weeks by forces aligned with Hillary Clinton.
Trump’s campaign as of midday Thursday had secured about $4 million in television time in four states to air over the next 10 days: $1.4 million is reserved in Florida; $985,000 in Pennsylvania, $830,000 in North Carolina and $745,000 in Ohio, according to data from CMAG/Kantar Media, a company that tracks political advertising. Trump has yet to purchase time in Virginia, though a campaign adviser said earlier this week that he planned to do so.
The ads to be aired have not been released.
A more vigorous Trump purchase is not expected until September.
Trump has been bolstered on the air this summer primarily by two outside groups: The National Rifle Association and Rebuilding America Now, a pro-Trump super PAC. Together, the campaign and the groups are slated to air $7.9 million in television advertisements in those four states over the two-week period.
Even as Trump begins to compete on television, he will still be outpunched by Clinton and her supporters: Her campaign and super PACs are scheduled to air $12.8 million in those four states — plus the time they’ve bought in other states that Trump has so far passed on contesting on television.