Progressive group Priorities USA outspending Trump on Facebook in Michigan, other battlegrounds

    By
    Susan J. Demas
    -
    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

    There’s been a lot of handwringing from liberals that President Donald Trump is outspending his potential 2020 Democratic rivals on Facebook, which many analysts believe was an effective tool for his 2016 victory.

    “Let’s Be Honest” Facebook campaign from Priorities USA

    Candidates have shelled out $61 million, according to the Wesleyan Media Project, with Trump’s share at $10.1 million. The top-spending Dems are businessman Tom Steyer with $4.5 million, followed by South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg with $2.8 million and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at $2.4 million.

    But the Washington, D.C.-based progressive group Priorities USA is actually outspending Trump on Facebook in key states, including Michigan, Axios reports. The group has launched its “Let’s Be Honest” campaign slamming Trump on economic and health care issues.

    The organization has put up $300,000 to advertise on Facebook in the Mitten State to Trump’s $207,000. Priorities USA also is exceeding Trump’s spending in Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin.

    After spending $40 million online in 2016, the group says it will spend more in the 2020 cycle.

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    Susan J. Demas
    Susan J. Demas is a 19-year journalism veteran and one of the state’s foremost experts on Michigan politics, appearing on MSNBC, CNN, NPR and WKAR-TV’s “Off the Record.” In addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief, she is the Advance’s chief columnist, writing on women, LGBTQs, the state budget, the economy and more. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Farough & Associates, Michigan’s premier political communications firm. For almost five years, Susan was the Editor and Publisher of Inside Michigan Politics, the most-cited political newsletter in the state. Susan’s award-winning political analysis has run in more than 80 national, international and regional media outlets, including the Guardian U.K., NBC News, the New York Times, the Detroit News and MLive. She is the only Michigan journalist to be named to the Washington Post’s list of “Best Political Reporters,” the Huffington Post’s list of “Best Political Tweeters” and the Washington Post’s list of “Best Political Bloggers.” Susan was the recipient of a prestigious Knight Foundation fellowship in nonprofits and politics. She served as Deputy Editor for MIRS News and helped launch the Michigan Truth Squad, the Center for Michigan’s fact-checking project. She started her journalism career reporting on the Iowa caucuses for The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette. Susan has hiked over 3,000 solo miles across four continents and climbed more than 60 mountains. She also enjoys dragging her husband and two teenagers along, even if no one else wants to sleep in a tent anymore.