WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is ramping up efforts to court male voters two weeks before Election Day with ads on platforms frequented by men like fantasy sports, sports betting, sports news and video game websites.
Harris is fighting to win over voters within this key demographic, among which former President Donald Trump has an edge.
As part of the campaign’s plan to attract male voters, the vice president’s campaign launched a series of ads Friday on sports news sites like DraftKings and Yahoo Sports as well as video game sites like IGN and Fandom. Harris’ is the first campaign to advertise on DraftKings.
In one 30-second spot that will appear on those websites, former professional basketball star Magic Johnson compares the economic policies between the two candidates as if he were previewing two sports teams clashing.
“Let’s break down Kamala’s economic plan. She has a plan to cut taxes for over 100 million Americans,” Johnson says. “Now let’s look at the other guy. He’s a failed businessman, plain and simple. It’ll jack up prices, which means you’ll pay more for pretty much everything. Kamala’s plan is pro-business, pro-entrepreneur and pro-America. That’s why I’m backing Kamala in this election and I hope you’ll do the same.”
Actor Ben Stiller appears in another ad, in which he references his “Academy Award-snubbed movie, Dodgeball.”
“You know this election is a lot like dodgeball. Kamala Harris is the average Joe underdog and…Ha No, this isn’t a time for jokes,” he said. “You know what? It’s way too important. Donald Trump wants to terminate the Constitution. Project 2024 will give him nearly unlimited power. We can’t let him get anywhere near the White House. So, vote for Kamala Harris.”
Since she jumped into the race, Harris has been trying to attract men to support her, but Trump continues to perform better among male voters.
NBC News’ recent poll found that 56% of male registered voters support Trump, while 40% of them support Harris.
Trump has also targeted ads to male-heavy viewership, including attacking her for transgender rights positions in ads that are airing during football games.
According to the Harris campaign, it’s also trying to break through and reach men on platforms such as TikTok and live-streaming site Twitch. It’s also partnering with several accounts that promote memes like dudewithsign and thegoodliars.
The campaign said it’s also placing ads on sports talk radio and is taking advantage of major sporting events like major college football games, NFL games and MLB primetime games.
