What Our AdHawk Tool Can Tell Us About the GOP’s New Hampshire Primary
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Priorities’ innovative digital competitive tool AdHawk can provide insights into how campaigns are won and lost online. Following the New Hampshire GOP primary, AdHawk can tell us how these fights actually played out:
Team Haley Started With Issues, but Pivoted to Politics:
While Team Haley started spending a lot of her online budget on foreign affairs, specifically China, as the race went on she pivoted to more traditional bio ads, specifically emphasizing her electability compared to other candidates.
Once DeSantis Dropped Out, Team Haley Pivoted:
After failing to hit Trump for most of the race, Haley went after him online once DeSantis dropped out, but it was too little too late.
While Team Haley Tried to Sell Her Electability, Team Trump Played To His Base
Haley and her supporting PACs spent most of their money online positioning herself as the more electable option to Trump or DeSantis. For example:
“Another Disaster” – SFA Fund Inc.
“About Taxes” – SFA Fund Inc.
“Different Approach” – Haley for President
While Trump focused on hitting Haley and Biden on entitlement programs, immigration, and the economy, despite his own vulnerabilities on those subjects. For example:
“Change the Rules” – Trump for President
“Everywhere You Look” – Trump for President
“The Wall” – Trump for President
Chelsea Bukowski, Director of Analytics at Priorities USA issued the following statement:
“Elections are won and lost online, and in order to tell the story of any race we need to see where candidates and their supporters are spending their digital ad money.
Here we can see a Haley campaign that tried to beat Trump without going after him until it was too late, and a Trump campaign that has gone right back to the lies and attacks they have relied on in previous races.”
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