As the race for the White House tightens, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is taking to the skies in an attempt to sway voters in key battleground states. On Saturday, four planes carrying banners with anti-Trump messaging flew over major college football games in Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The move comes as recent polls show President Trump gaining ground on his Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched an aerial campaign in four major swing states, flying planes carrying anti-Trump banners over college football games on Saturday. The move comes as the race for the White House tightens, with recent polls showing President Trump gaining ground on his Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris.
DNC Flies Anti-Trump Banners Over College Football Games in Swing States
The planes, which flew over Michigan Stadium, Sanford Stadium, Beaver Stadium, and Camp Randall Stadium, carried banners with messages linking Trump to the far-right manifesto Project 2025 and painting him as an extremist. The project, created by the Heritage Foundation, has been disavowed by Trump multiple times, but figures who worked in his first administration contributed to it.
One of the banners, set to fly over Michigan, targeted Trump's running mate, JD Vance, by exploiting the fierce rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State. Vance, who spent much of his childhood in Ohio and is a lifelong Ohio State fan, has expressed concern that his loyalty to the Buckeyes could hurt Trump's chances in Michigan this November.
DNC Flies Anti-Trump Banners Over College Football Games in Swing States
Trump responded to the DNC's campaign gimmick by making an in-person appearance at a rally in Wisconsin, near where the Wisconsin Badgers were playing South Dakota. Meanwhile, Harris visited Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she received endorsements from former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Rep. Liz Cheney.
Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, has proposed that he and Trump visit Ohio Stadium at Ohio State for the Buckeyes' upcoming game against Michigan on November 30. He believes that the visit could help sway voters in Michigan and potentially determine the ultimate seeding in the College Football Playoff.
DNC Flies Anti-Trump Banners Over College Football Games in Swing States
The DNC's aerial campaign comes as recent polls show Trump gaining ground on Harris in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Silver's latest election forecast gives Trump a 58.2% chance of winning the Electoral College, up from 52.4% last week. Harris' odds have decreased from 47.3% to 41.6%.
The DNC's strategy of targeting swing states with anti-Trump messaging is aimed at swaying undecided voters and boosting Harris' poll numbers. The move reflects the increasing competitiveness of the race and the DNC's determination to win back the White House.
The use of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry in the DNC's campaign underscores the power of sports in American politics. The rivalry between the two schools is one of the fiercest in college football, and it is likely to resonate with voters in Michigan.
The DNC's aerial campaign and Trump's potential visit to Ohio Stadium highlight the convergence of sports and politics in the upcoming election. The outcome of the race could be influenced by the ability of candidates to navigate the complex landscape of college football rivalries and sports allegiances.
