Clinton Super PAC To Temporarily Stop Airing Ads In Pennsylvania, Other Battleground States
By Dan Merica
PHILADELPHIA (CNN)-- Hillary Clinton's super PAC won't air any local ads in Virginia, Colorado and Pennsylvania from September 2 to 20, according a Priorities USA spokesman, citing strong poll numbers for Clinton in those states.
This move, which is meant to both save money and signal confidence, extends suspensions in advertising in Colorado and Virginia and adds Pennsylvania to that list. And it could always be amended if the super PAC felt it was necessary.
"We know, at the moment, these are tough states for Donald Trump and there isn't as much of a need for us to air ads there," said Justin Barasky, a Priorities USA spokesman, who added that the group has no plans to expand their battleground map before Labor Day.
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Polls show Clinton with healthy leads in Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll found Clinton up 13 points in Virginia -- 46% to 33%; up 14 points in Colorado -- 46% to 32%; and up 11 points in Pennsylvania -- 48% to 37%.
Priorities decided earlier this month to go dark in certain markets in Virginia and Colorado, but said at the time that they would go back on the air on August 16. With polls going Clinton's way, the group decided against doing that, and added Pennsylvania to their list of states they will go dark in.
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This decision, one Priorities adviser said, does not mean the group will be dark in the states through Election Day. According to the adviser, the plan is still to start airing ads in Colorado, Virginia and Pennsylvania starting on September 20.
The money the group is saving by going dark in three states will move it to other activities, like turnout and expanding the party in battle group states.
"We have no plans to expand before Labor Day but we are certainly looking at those states," Barasky said of Arizona and Georgia. "We are looking at those states, we are looking at a few others. That doesn't mean we are going to go up in either of them."
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