Has Donald Trump decided to start trying to run a traditional campaign? The candidate finally started doing something Friday that every other presidential campaign does: running TV ads in key swing states.
The first ad, “Two Americas: Immigration,” aims to illustrate the contrasts between Trump and Hillary Clinton on the issue of illegal immigration, which has been one of Trump’s favorite topics since he announced his candidacy. It accuses Clinton of being soft on illegal immigration and welcoming Syrians refugees, while promising that Donald Trump’s America will be safe from criminals and terrorists. It avoids the insults about Mexicans and Muslims that marked the early days of his campaign.
The campaign says it will spend $4.8 million dollars to air the ad, and others, over the next 10 days in the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida.
Until now, Trump hasn’t aired a single television ad since he received the Republican nomination — which has baffled strategists and talking heads who say such ads are crucial to a presidential campaign. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump has only spent $20 million on ads through May, while Clinton spent $62 million. In the past two months alone, Clinton is said to have spent $61 million on general election ads, with pro-Clinton groups spending another $43 million.
New Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway discussed the spots on Fox News Wednesday morning, saying they would both attack Clinton and promote Trump.
“They will be about Hillary, they’ll be about facts and figures. I think it’s really how optimistic and inspiring his message is … A new America, looking toward the future,” Conway said of the ads.
Check out the ad above.