Democratic challenger for U.S. Senate Michael J. Costa is shown on Hope Street in Bristol in his new ad that recently hit Rhode Island’s airwaves. (Screenshot from ‘Fighting for Us’/Michael Costa for RI Senate-D)
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and his primary challenger Michael Costa haven’t faced off in any televised debates, but their ad war is underway with less than a week to go before the election.
Costa, 55, of Bristol, who briefly ran for governor as a Republican in 2022, launched his self-funded ad blitz on Aug. 28, booking $55,560 in air time in his bid against Whitehouse, according to filings with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The ad spending comes just a few weeks after Whitehouse’s campaign paid more than $100,000 for ads that aired during the Olympics.
Whitehouse going for gold in Olympic ad spending with his U.S. Senate reelection campaign
For about a week, Costa had Rhode Island’s broadcast television viewers all to himself — until Whitehouse’s campaign dropped $123,056 on Wednesday launched its own last-minute campaign highlighting his 18-year record on Capitol Hill.
“A senator who listens, a Rhode Islander who cares,” a narrator says over footage of Whitehouse meeting with constituents as part of a 60-second spot titled “Listens.”
His 30-second spot, which has the bulk of the TV orders, centers on protecting Social Security and Medicare from potential cuts.
“We can make Social Security and Medicare sound forever,” Whitehouse says in a town hall setting. “I am so eager to be in that fight.”
Costa’s late-game ad campaign, which has three 30-second spots in rotation, serves mostly as his introduction to Rhode Island voters.
“I’m an environmental engineer, an investor for nonprofits, and a college professor,” he said in an ad shared on X. “I’m running because kindness, decency and respect matter — because America’s better than this.”
In a second ad, Costa says “Thank you, Senator Whitehouse, for 18 years in the United States Senate, but I want a better America, an America that’s great and good.”
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Patricia Morgan faces new FEC warnings
“We need to quit talking about protecting Social Security and actually fund it, right now. Have fair immigration, now, and inflationary policies, now, and fund K through 12 education, now,” he says over stock video shots of seniors, students, and someone purchasing a pineapple.
Costa has relied almost solely on his own money to get his name out in the weeks ahead of the primary — loaning himself $200,000 to set up his campaign fund.
Whitehouse, boasts the most cash out of any office seeker in Rhode Island — with a $3.6 million on hand as of Aug. 21.
In total, the two Democrats have spent $278,636 toward 623 ad spots across Rhode Island’s broadcast TV stations — enough to cover five-and-a-half hours worth of air time.
A late-game ad push tends to be par for the course in most competitive races, said Providence College Associate Professor of Political Science Adam Myers. If a candidate has a coordinated campaign, he said there tends to be a spike in favorability, but it declines over time. In doing it closer to the election, the name is more front-and-center.
“In a race like this where there’s such a huge gap between candidates in terms of name recognition and resources, it doesn’t strike me that any ad buy — short of a really massive one — would be all that important,” Myers said.
So why would a candidate invest money in what is seen as a long-shot bid?
“Some people have a different view of reality than the rest of us,” Myers said. “Sometimes they turn out to be right, but not most of the time.”
At the very least, Myers said Costa’s bid helps to raise his name recognition for something down the road. Costa did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse speaks to supporters at a town hall meeting in one of his new campaign ads. (Screenshot from ‘There for You’/Whitehouse for Senate)
No Q3 ad spending from Republican rivals
Republican Patricia Morgan has not made any recent ad purchases. Her campaign paid $25,127 for 447 ad spots on cable TV during the latter half of April when she launched her senatorial bid. As of Aug. 21, Morgan’s campaign reported more than $144,000 cash on hand.
Morgan faces Raymond McKay in the GOP primary, who has $17,800 cash on hand as of Aug. 21. McKay did not purchase any TV ads.
The primary is Tuesday, Sept. 10. Early voting continues through Monday, Sept. 9. As of 4:30 p.m. Thursday, the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office reported 16,216 ballots cast either by mail or early, in-person. That represents 2.1% of the state’s 720,626 eligible voters.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX