The Harris campaign has pulled millions in ad buys from North Carolina, with Election Day one week away.
According to ad tracking firm AdImpact, the Harris team removed $2 million in ad reservations in the swing state.
“Yesterday, the Kamala Harris campaign placed new #NCPol ad reservations totaling $2.7m for the final week of the election. This morning, the campaign is cutting from those NC reservations. So far today, we’ve seen over $2m removed from NC markets,” the company stated.
#Election2024: Yesterday, the Kamala Harris campaign placed new #NCPol ad reservations totaling $2.7m for the final week of the election. This morning, the campaign is cutting from those NC reservations. So far today, we've seen over $2m removed from NC markets.
— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) October 29, 2024
Media Buying and Analytics reported the Harris campaign pulling $1.7 million in advertising from critical North Carolina markets, including Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Greenville New-Bern, Norfolk, Raleigh, and Wilmington.
Some viewed the Harris campaign’s withdrawal from ad spending in North Carolina as a possible concession.
“@KamalaHarris giving up on North Carolina..pulling money out. Maybe to drop in Virginia to try and stop the slide? Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita questioned.
@KamalaHarris giving up on North Carolina..pulling money out. Maybe to drop in Virginia to try and stop the slide ? pic.twitter.com/oTcCAuTJYx
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) October 29, 2024
The Carolina Journal reports:
This comes a day before Harris is scheduled to campaign in the capital city of Raleigh, the only North Carolina media market where she is leading the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump.
In the latest Carolina Journal statewide poll, Harris and Trump are tied at 47%. However, Trump leads Harris from Charlotte to western North Carolina by 12 points, and leads Harris by 9 points in North Carolina’s coastal area. They are tied in central North Carolina at 45%. Harris is ahead in the Triangle area of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, leading 55% to Trump’s 40%.
Trump is also going to be in North Carolina on Wednesday, with a rally scheduled in Rocky Mount.
North Carolina is almost two weeks into early voting and seeing significant upticks in turnout among registered Republicans and a drop among registered Democrats. More than three million votes have already been cast in the election. In comparing turnout to this point in 2020, elections expert Dr. Andy Jackson of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation reports that Democrats’ turnout is down by more than 340,000 voters, while Republican turnout is up by 9,000 voters.
2/4
Republicans expanded their turnout advantage by about 11k yesterday. I keep expecting the missing Democratic voters to show up, but they keep not showing up. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/H6N7TrTyeA— Andy Jackson (@andyinrok) October 29, 2024
“The Republican lead in North Carolina almost doubled from yesterday! Rumor has it that the Kamala campaign is shifting resources to shore up Virginia, which means they’re worried about losing Virginia. Let’s make even the blue states red!” Elon Musk commented.
The Republican lead in North Carolina almost doubled from yesterday!
Rumor has it that the Kamala campaign is shifting resources to shore up Virginia, which means they’re worried about losing Virginia.
Let’s make even the blue states red! pic.twitter.com/opV79tNETs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2024
Per WTVD:
With just a week left to go until Election Day, we’re getting a better idea of who’s turning out to vote.
Over 3.1 million people across North Carolina have cast ballots between absentee and early in-person voting.
As of Tuesday, registered Republicans have a slight turnout edge over registered Democrats, 34%-33%, with the remaining 32% Unaffiliated.
Something GOP volunteers see that as a positive sign.
“I’m excited I’m encouraged, and I’m surprised, it was a great surprise,” says Sandy Joiner with the Western Wake Republican Club.
Sandy Joiner says for Republicans, it’s a change from 2020 when voters were told to wait until Election Day.
“I think that was a big part of the push was that Democrats are always dominated in early voting and it was like, what can we do to get the message out to make sure that we that we’re out there voting and we don’t wait until Election Day. And so we’ve been really heavily promoting that,” she says.