TV Ad Spending Picks Up in 2016 Race

With the Super PACs supporting Jeb Bush and Scott Walker now beginning to advertise, the TV ad spending in the 2016 race is picking up – with nearly $3.3 million being spent this week alone on the airwaves, according to data from NBC ad-tracking partner SMG Delta.

Strikingly, 81% of that nearly $3.3 million is coming from Super PACs or outside groups ($2.6 million), versus 19% from the campaigns ($632,000)

To date, nearly $20 million overall has been spent in TV ads in the 2016 race – compared with $2.1 million at this same point in the 2012 contest.

Caveat: Given that Super PACs and outside groups pay more for TV ads than campaigns do, money isn’t a perfect measure of all of the TV activity. But it gives you a good idea of who is on the air – and who isn’t.

TV ad spending this week (Sept. 15 through Sept. 21)

Team Bush: $1.1 million

• Bush campaign: $152,000 in NH
• Right to Rise Super PAC: $978,000 in IA and NH

Team Walker: $580,000 in IA (all from Unintimidated Super PAC)

Team Clinton: $447,000 in IA and NH (all from campaign)

Team Christie: $391,000 in New Hampshire (all from America Leads Super PAC)

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Team Graham: $247,000 in NH (all from Security is Strength)

Team Jindal: $268,000 in IA (all from Believe Again Super PAC)

Team Kasich: $173,000 in NH (all from New Day Independent Media Committee)

Team Paul: $38,000 in IA/NV/SC (all from America’s Liberty Super PAC)

Team Cruz: $33,000 in IA/NH/SC/NV (all from campaign)

SOURCE: SMG Delta/NBC News