Just one month after California’s primary election, Democrats are gearing up to spend millions of dollars throughout the Central Valley in Congressional races.
The Democratic House Majority PAC announced that it is spending $186 million initially on advertising for the upcoming cycle around the nation.
Driving the news: The House Majority PAC will spend nearly $8 million from Bakersfield to Sacramento.
- Looking at Bakersfield, the PAC has an initial allocation of $1.2 million in the market, as well as $525,000 in Spanish advertising.
- The Fresno market will see $2.6 million in advertising to go along with another $1.6 million in Spanish.
- Sacramento will have $1.68 million in spending, along with an additional $240,000 in Spanish advertising.
The big picture: The $186 million national allocation will be split with $146 million going to television advertising while the remaining $40 million will be reserved for digital.
- Overall the initial reservations are the largest ever in the history of the House Majority PAC.
- Two years ago the House Majority PAC had an initial advertising reservation of $101.8 million, and in 2020 that number was down at $51 million.
Go deeper: Naturally, the House Majority PAC is looking to flip vulnerable seats in the Central Valley, specifically targeting Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford) and Rep. John Duarte (R–Modesto).
- That means the $1.7 million in advertising headed to Bakersfield will be used to take down Valadao and promote former Asm. Rudy Salas (D–Bakersfield).
- The $4.2 million spent in Fresno will be used both on Valadao’s race for Congressional District 22 as well as Duarte’s 13th Congressional District race against former Asm. Adam Gray (D–Merced).
- In Sacramento, the House Majority PAC is splitting its $1.9 million spending on the 13th District race as well as to protect Rep. Josh Harder (D–Tracy) as he tries to fend off Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln for Congressional District 9.
What they’re saying: “House Republicans have done nothing but sell out the American people while creating chaos, and we are holding them accountable for their anti-American extremist policies and agenda,” said House Majority PAC President Mike Smith in a statement. “Through these historic television and digital reservations, House Majority PAC has made it clear that we are ready to do whatever it takes to flip the House and elect Hakeem Jeffries the next Speaker of the House.”
