Trump makes his largest ad buy; aimed at Nevada, 8 other states

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign launched its largest ad buy to date Monday, with commercials planned for Nevada and eight other states.

It will be the Republican presidential nominee’s first ad buy for Nevada. The first week of airtime will cost about $10 million, a Trump campaign official said.

The economy-focused ad spot states that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will increase taxes, eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, and leave the middle class “crushed” if elected.

“It’s more of the same, but worse,” the ad states.

Conversely, the ad touts, a Trump presidency would provide tax relief to “working families,” create millions of new jobs and increase wages.

The Clinton campaign called the ad “divisive and misleading” in a statement.

“Donald Trump’s reckless approach to business has devastated working families and communities,” wrote Clinton’s deputy communications director, Christina Reynolds.

“He will do and say whatever is in his interest, even if it means swindling working families to make millions for himself. Now Trump is promising the same reckless, self-centered approach to running the country’s economy — with large tax breaks for the wealthy, and a plan that independent experts say would cost millions of jobs.”

The Trump campaign did not disclose further details on the ad buy’s cost, including how much will be spent on Nevada airtime.

The ads are now airing in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, a campaign official said. They will begin airing in Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire and Virginia at an undisclosed date.

In 2012, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney lost all of those states during the general election except North Carolina.

Jason Miller, senior communications adviser for the Trump campaign, said the candidate’s “positive message of economic opportunity is working and we see the national and battleground state polls all moving in the right direction.”

Trump, however, still lags far behind his political opponent in ad buys.

The Trump campaign aired its first general election ads earlier this month, focusing on immigration and spending about $5 million. The Clinton campaign has spent more than $77 million on ads since early June, according to Kantar Media’s political ad tracker.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Find @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.