Biden outspent Trump on Facebook ads in weeks leading to election

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign poured roughly $10 million more into Facebook ads than President Trump’s campaign did in the lead-up to Election Day, according to the tech giant’s ad library.

Biden for President and Biden Victory Fund, both campaign arms for the former vice president, spent a combined $32.4 million on Facebook ads in the 30 days leading up to Tuesday’s election. 

Trump campaign arms Donald J. Trump For President Inc. and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee spent a combined total of $22.4 million on Facebook ads in the same time period. 

Starting Wednesday, Facebook will temporarily pause all social issues, electoral or political ads in the U.S. in an attempt to “reduce confusion or abuse” as votes are counted. The platform announced the decision earlier this month, as part of its measures taken in response to the election. 

Both campaigns poured millions of dollars into Facebook ads in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, with the Biden campaign outspending Trump in the key state the president narrowly carried in 2016.

Biden’s campaign spent roughly $6.1 million in Pennsylvania and Trump’s spent roughly $2.7 million, according to the ad library. 

Results in Pennsylvania are still being counted, amid record levels of mail-in voting during the election which coincided with the coronavirus pandemic. 

The campaigns also poured millions into Florida, a battleground state The Associated Press called for Trump early Wednesday morning, with Biden again outspending Trump in the state on Facebook ads by more than $1 million.

Biden’s campaign also outspent Trump’s campaign in Georgia, with Biden pouring about $1.7 million into Facebook ads and Trump spending $1.4 million. Votes in Georgia are still being counted as of Wednesday morning.