Biden campaign launching $50M swing state ad blitz around RNC, Olympics, 'Bachelorette'
MADISON - Democratic President Joe Biden's campaign will spend $50 million on ads in Wisconsin and other battleground states in July, his campaign said Friday.
The campaign plans to target the advertising blitz around major events including the Republican National Convention, which will be held in Milwaukee, the Olympics and the July 8 season premiere of "The Bachelorette."
The ads will air on TV, radio and digital, focusing on issues including abortion access, economic relief and democracy.
The ad blitz launches as the 81-year-old Democratic president is set to visit this battleground state in a show of commitment to see his campaign through, while facing calls from within his own party to abandon a reelection bid following a rocky debate performance.
Biden will visit Wisconsin's voting powerhouse of Madison, holding a rally at a city middle school and taping a primetime interview with ABC organized to help overturn public fears of a lagging mental acuity.
It's his fifth trip to Wisconsin this year.
Democratic governors who met with Biden on Wednesday in a meeting to assess the president said they would stand by the president, including Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who was the only governor to not participate in the meeting. But on Thursday, the New York Times reported major Democratic donors are launching a pressure campaign to get Biden to step aside.
Biden's campaign, however, is portraying a unified team that is ignoring efforts to replace the candidate. In a memo from Wisconsin campaign officials released to reporters, it was revealed key state surrogates would be on hand.
"Over the past few weeks, Wisconsin leaders have continued to show strong support for President Biden, and several will join him in Madison, including Governor Tony Evers, Congressman Mark Pocan, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, and Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler," according to the memo.
More: Tammy Baldwin, locked in her own re-election race, won't appear with Joe Biden in Madison
Ahead of the Madison visit, Wisconsin GOP Chairman Brian Schimming said the Biden campaign has gone from “confidence to calamity to crisis” over the past 10 days, citing Biden’s debate performance and the Democratic scramble since to shore up support for the president.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at [email protected].
Molly Beck, Lawrence Andrea and Rachel Hale of the MIlwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Biden campaign launching Wisconsin, swing state ad blitz timed to RNC