The Point: 69 million clues Trump is nervous about November

View this email in your browser   June 30, 2020  | by Lauren Dezenski and Allison Gordon 69 million clues Trump is nervous about November President Donald Trump and his campaign are digging in for the long haul. Faced with a bleak electoral outlook (right now), the Trump campaign is investing big-time in advertising in key states this fall.  The Trump campaign has reserved $69 million in television ads beginning in September through Election Day in seven states: Arizona, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Note that these are key swing states -- and Democratic candidate former Vice President Joe Biden happens to have clear leads in Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, plus leads within the margin of error in Ohio and North Carolina.  Trump also won all of these states in 2016. The ad spend is sizable, but let's not forget the Trump campaign has spent the last three years aggressively fundraising. With such a big war chest, it's not difficult for the "Death Star" to make that kind of investment.   Here's another important detail, courtesy of CNN's Michael Warren and David Wright: In June alone, the Trump campaign spent more than $14 million in seven states Trump won in 2016. According to data compiled by Kantar Media/CMAG, the President's campaign doubled what it had already spent this year on TV and digital ads in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. It has also increased spending in three more Trump states: Iowa, Ohio and Texas. Compare that to Biden, whose fundraising has picked up but hasn't dropped the kind of advertising cash as the Trump campaign (yet). Biden's campaign has spent nearly $4 million on ads across those same seven states Trump won in 2016 -- including more than $2 million in Florida and $500,000 each in Arizona, Texas and North Carolina since the beginning of June. The Point: This big of an ad buy shows Trump is playing defense rather than offense. -- Lauren QUOTE OF THE DAY "The President does read and he also consumes intelligence verbally." -- White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany insisted Tuesday that President Trump reads amid widespread reports he doesn't consume the written version of the highly classified President's Daily Brief. WHY REPUBLICANS ARE NERVOUS With everything going on in the world, the past few months have proven difficult for President Donald Trump, and in turn, the Republican Party. Chris explains why the Democrats' widening gap is starting to worry Republicans ahead of November.   Subscribe to The Point on YouTube for a fresh video twice a week!  ALLI'S GOOD READS Hold on. Time to grab my Zoom shirt.   Lululemon is making big moves.   Why can't I stop tye-dying and making challah?     Translating sign language just got easier   Elaina Plott is out with an excellent new profile: The Fall of Jeff Sessions, and What Came After MUSICAL INTERLUDE We at The Point are beyond excited for "Hamilton" to debut on Disney+ this Friday! In preparation, check out the original cast performing the song "Helpless" with the Roots.  Today's episode: The Trump campaign scraps events because of Covid-19. ALLI'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST     The results are in for Kentucky's closely watched Democratic Senate primary last week -- Amy McGrath has edged state Rep. Charles Booker in a race that was much closer than expected. McGrath will now face Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November. At his event in Wilmington today, Joe Biden reiterated that he would choose his running mate in early August.  Voting in Georgia is becoming a little more accessible following a chaotic June 9 primary with long lines, voting machine issues and accusations of voter suppression. Today, I reported that the Atlanta Hawks have announced that their stadium, State Farm Arena, will become Georgia's largest-ever voting center. ONE BIG ELECTION NIGHT 3 The number of states that held primaries today: Colorado, Utah and Oklahoma. There's at least one contest in each state that could shift Congress' balance of power next year. Check out what CNN's Simone Pathe thinks you should pay attention to.  You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.