Obama, Romney campaigns spend record $710 million on battleground advertising
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Shattering records, the Obama and Romney campaigns and their allies spent $710 million on general election ads in just 12 battleground states, according to a source tracking ad buys.
In the most heavily contested swing state of Ohio, the campaigns and the various independent committees supporting them saturated the airwaves with $146 million worth of commercials on broadcast and local cable. Close behind Ohio were the two other swing states most heavily fought over: Florida, where $133 million worth of ad time was purchased and Virginia, which saw $110 million worth of commercials.
Six of the top 10 stations airing political ads were in Ohio: four in Cleveland and two in Columbus.
Several Republican super PACs and the Romney campaign bought air time in Pennsylvania during the final stretch hoping to put the state into play. The Obama campaign then countered resulting in a total of almost $26 million being spent there during the general election.
In the end the Obama campaign spent $260 million on their battleground ads while the Romney campaign purchased $180 million worth of commercials. When the campaign and its allies are combined Republicans with $411 million outpaced Democrats and their $301 million.
Here is a breakdown of the general election ad spending:
Colorado -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $29.6 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $29.5 million
Florida -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $62.7 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $69.9 million
Iowa -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $22.7 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $33.2 million
Michigan -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $ 329,000
Romney + Republican Allies: $12.4 million
Minnesota -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $ 525,000
Romney + Republican Allies: $2.4 million
New Hampshire -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $16.2 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $13.8 million
New Mexico -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $41,000
Romney + Republican Allies: $1 million
North Carolina -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $22.9 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $38.6 million
Ohio -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $67.7 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $78.7 million
Pennsylvania -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $10 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $15.9 million
Virginia -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $41.8 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $68.3 million
Wisconsin -
Obama + Democratic Allies: $8.2 million
Romney + Republican Allies: $25.4 million
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