Presidential Ad Spending in Iowa

 Data from

                                
     
Spending on Presidential Advertising in Iowa, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020      
Total $28.8 million 

Summary: Two distinctive points on the Iowa presidential ad spending are the sizable late investment by the Biden campaign and the $13.4 million spent by Republican-aligned issue groups compared to just $1.4 million by Democratic-aligned issue groups.  $12.3 million of the $13.4 million is from Preserve America PAC, the super PAC largely funded by Sheldon and Miriam Adelson.  Dividing the $28.8 million advertising total by six electoral votes gives a figure of $4.79 million per electoral vote; Biden and allies spent $1.57 million and Trump and allies $3.23 million per electoral vote. Dividing by 1,690,871 votes tallied in the presidential race in Iowa gives a figure of $17.01 per vote; Biden and allies spent $12.37 per Biden vote and Trump and allies spent $21.58 per Trump vote.  The presidential race was overshadowed by massive spending on the hotly contested U.S. Senate race, which saw, according to the Globe-Gazette as much as $154 million in spending on advertising (and total spending of $258.7 million according to Open Secrets).

These data cover spending on advertising on electronic media (broadcast, cable, radio, digital and satellite) but do not include other types of paid media such as billboards, print advertising and persuasion mail.
Data on this page do not show "independent" ads which account for a tiny amount of spending (less than 0.1%).  "Independent" ads includes ads from third party presidential candidates and other small mostly digital buys from various groups.
Also note that groups such as The Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump, although organized by Republicans and thus nominally Republican, are included under Democrat (Biden/Allies) spending since their purpose was to attack Trump.
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Presidential Ad Spending by Advertiser Type, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020

 Biden and Allies
 Trump and Allies
Candidate
 		$6,779,267
 $3,585,376
Coordinated
 		$1,214,508
 $2,408,574
Interest Group
 $1,399,330
 $13,378,635
Total
 		$9,393,105
 		$19,372,585


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Top Presidential Ad Spending Groups, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020
Supporting Biden  $1.4m

Supporting Trump  $13.4m

                     

Preserve America PAC
 $12,409,570


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Presidential Ad Spending by Media Type, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020
Biden/Allies $9,393,105

Candidate
 Coordinated
 Interest Group
Broadcast
 		$4,192,923
 -
 $871,125
Cable
 		$1,213,564
 $21,834
 $316,998
Radio
 		$507,315
 -
 $50,526
Digital
 		$484,383
 $1,192,674
 $160,681
Satellite
 		$381,082
 -
 -
Total
 $6,779,267
 $1,214,508
 $1,399,330



Trump/Allies $19,372,585

Candidate
 		Coordinated
 		Interest Group
Broadcast
 		$1,883,770
 $897,615
 $10,129,455
Cable
 		$255,586
 -
 $2,091,840
Radio
 		-
 -
 $952,723
Digital
 		$1,430,704
 $1,510,959
 $103,923
Satellite
 		$15,316
 -
 $10,694
Total
 $3,585,376
 $2,408,574
 $13,378,635


Of $28.8 million presidential ad spending in Iowa, $18.0 million (62.5%) was on broadcast, $3.89 million (13.6%) on cable, $4.88 million (17.0%) on digital, $1.51 million (5.3%) on radio, and $407,092 (1.4%) on satellite.  These data do not include other types of paid media such as billboards, print advertising and persuasion mail.

See:
Michael Finnegan and James Rainey.  "Strapped for cash, Trump yanks TV ads in key states as Biden spending surges."  Los Angeles Times, Oct. 10, 2020.

Thomas Barabi.  "Trump campaign cancels Ohio, Iowa TV ads amid optimism over swing state election chances."  Fox News, Oct. 7, 2020.

Erin Murphy.  "Biden set to air first Iowa network ads."  Sioux City Journal, Sept. 21, 2020.

Bill Barrow.  "With cash windfall, Biden adds GOP states to campaign map."  AP, Sept. 21, 2020.