The general election presidential race is coming to New Mexico. Or at least, it is through TV and digital ads.
The Associated Press, and other outlets, reported late last week that Donald Trump’s campaign would be spending a total of $140 million on ads in 13 states. This is $100 million on TV ads and $40 million on digital advertising.
From the AP:
The Trump campaign is targeting key battleground states like Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, along with Michigan, Maine, New Mexico, Wisconsin and others.
New Mexico, Wisconsin and Maine are new additions to Trump’s campaign spending, likely indicating Trump believes he can compete in those three states.
So far, the only ad money spent in New Mexico in the presidential race came ahead of the Democratic Primary where Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Bernie Sanders.
All states will see some money. The $100 million includes $40 million for national advertising, while the remaining $60 million will go toward the targeted states, like New Mexico.
As of this report, per documents on the FCC website, no Trump ads have aired yet, though the Republican Party of New Mexico requested the ad rates for KRQE for Trump in August.
The spending comes after weeks, even months, of Trump being vastly outspent by the Clinton campaign on the airwaves.
In fact, Trump has been spending at levels on TV advertising lower than all recent campaigns.
This wasn’t the only New Mexico Trump news.
The Republican Party of New Mexico announced that the party’s second-vice chair, Phil Archuletta, is advising the Trump campaign. Archuletta is part of Trump’s National Hispanic Advisory Council.
“We are thrilled to see one of our party officers, Phil Archuletta, recognized by the Trump campaign for the insight he can provide,” RPNM spokesman Tucker Keene said. “Phil has a long history working in Republican politics both nationally and here in New Mexico, and his input on the Trump campaign will prove very helpful for Trump’s efforts in our state.”
The Democratic Party of New Mexico also issued a release.
“New Mexicans won’t be deceived by this appointment,” DPNM Vice-Chair Juan Sanchez III said. “After all, Donald Trump launched his campaign insulting our Hispanic communities and he has continued to insult them ever since.”
Archuletta spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention and has been a delegate to the RNC every election cycle since 1984.
