Media Monitors released its update on the primary election that will be taking place in South Carolina. They have been tracking the political radio spots in Greenville-Spartanburg, Columbia, and Charleston, South Carolina as the focus markets. All the data is from January 1 to February 7, 2016.
In the graph below, when the candidate’s name is in parentheses it means a super PAC bought the spots, not the candidate.
Marco Rubio’s Super PAC Conservative Solutions aired 836 ads. They ran 396 in Charleston, 220 in Columbia, and 220 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
Coming in #2 was the Super PAC dedicated to Ted Cruz, Keep The Promise I, which ran 712 spots – 191 in Charleston, 139 in Columbia, and 382 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC. Ted Cruz For President (his campaign) aired 337 spots – 99 in Charleston, 104 in Columbia, and 134 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC. And that brings his effective total to 1,049 spots, which would put him on top when combined.
Hillary Clinton ran 575 spots so far with 241 in Charleston, 223 in Columbia, and 111 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
Donald Trump was behind Ted Cruz by one spot, campaign to campaign comparison; Trump ran 336 spots – 102 in Charleston, 63 in Columbia, and 171 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
Bernie Sanders ran 258 spots in South Carolina with 205 in Charleston, 38 in Columbia, and only 15 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
Jeb Bush was right behind Bernie with 235 spots – 107 in Charleston, 20 in Columbia, and 108 in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
Ben Carson’s campaign aired 182 spots all in Columbia and the neurosurgeon got some help from his friends at Black America’s PAC Action Fund who ran 19 spots in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC.
And finally, Willie Wilson, philanthropist, entrepreneur, recording artist, and first-year politician, aired 152 spots – 2 in Charleston and 150 in Columbia, SC.
The chart below indicates the ratio of “pro” ad to “against” ads that have run:
So far in South Carolina the negative sell ads are focused on Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Jeb Bush’s Super PAC Right To Rise USA aired 120 ads against Rubio, while Marco Rubio’s Super PAC Conservative Solutions aired 108 ads against Ted Cruz.
