Hillary Clinton campaign cash buys TV ads in Arizona
Sep 2, 2016, 9:26 AM | Updated: 11:20 am
(Screenshot)
(Screenshot)
PHOENIX — Hillary Clinton’s campaign believes Arizona is a battleground state in the presidential race and has begun using its cash to running TV ads in the Grand Canyon State.
The anti-Donald Trump commercials began airing Friday.
The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the state in the past 20 years was the Clinton’s husband in 1996. President Bill Clinton is the only Democrat to take Arizona in the race for the White House since Harry Truman in 1948.
ABC News reported the one-minute ad shows children watching Trump’s comments on women, guns and minorities.
The “Role Models” ad has been online since July.
The announcement from the Democratic nominee’s campaign comes on the heels of Trump’s speech on Wednesday in Phoenix, where he restated his vow to deport millions of people living in the country illegally.
Valley political expert Stan Barnes said the Clinton campaign has convinced itself that money spent in Arizona is money well-spent.
“I don’t agree with that but it’s the kind of year where anything feels possible and if you have the resources why not spend them,” Barnes said.
“That’s how they reached the decision. We’re a conservative center-right state and something extraordinary has to be in play in order for a Democrat to win the Arizona vote for president. This might be that kind of year but I don’t think so.”
Barnes said love or hate Trump, he brings an energy to the GOP side that can’t be matched by the Clinton campaign.
“Trump’s secret weapon is that he’s an independent populist who brings out a different kind of voter that doesn’t usually vote and I think that will be meaningful.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
