• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, October 26, 2016

With just over 12 days until November 8, the Hillary Clinton campaign is initiating its final iteration of campaign ads.

On the Republican side, while Trump is trying new approaches to fundraising — like offering a signed version of “The Art of the Deal” or a spot on his “Donor Wall” to contributors — the RNC is splashing cash into Senate races in a last-ditch effort to retain control of Congress.

Both new Clinton ads were released on October 24; they are an appropriate culmination of the campaign’s approach to messaging. With a focus on children and families, one ad takes the differentiation approach with Morgan Freeman narrating a comparison between Clinton and Trump. The second ad touts the former Secretary of State’s policy positions for helping children and families.

“Families First” squarely aims to galvanize support for Hillary Clinton by highlighting her planned policies to support families and children. Clinton speaks directly to the camera, with interspersed images of children, families and workers.

Comparing and contrasting Hillary’s and Donald’s record over the years has been a mainstay of the Clinton strategy.

She used a clearly practiced riff during the last presidential debate that powerfully illuminated the two candidates’ vastly varying routes to this point in their lives. The ad “Example” does just this.

As for the Republicans, the RNC is spending $25 million in six tight Senate races. Conversely, according to research by Politico, the RNC has spent absolutely nothing for ads in support of their presidential nominee since the start of the general election, despite expressing its full support.  

The cash is funding Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. While most of these races are very close, only one of the six Republicans is ahead, per FiveThirtyEight.