Trump camp shifting new ad to economy after law-and-order focus

[September 15, 2020]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's re-election campaign plans to emphasize the U.S. economy in a $10 million ad buy, following its focus in recent months on "law and order," a senior Trump campaign official said on Monday,

Trump has led Democratic opponent Joe Biden on the handling of the U.S. economy in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election, while trailing him in areas such as who would better manage the coronavirus pandemic and healthcare.

The Trump campaign still plans to highlight the law-and-order theme, which Trump emphasized throughout a summer of protests for racial justice ignited by the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in Minnesota.

But the new ads will instead focus on the economy, the official said. Trump has vowed to rebuild the pandemic-battered economy if given a second term.

"It's a focus on the economy as the defining issue of the campaign. Law and order is something that the campaign and the president will still talk about for sure," the official said.

The official, who confirmed Fox News' report on the ad buy, said the new ads would run in several states vital to Trump winning re-election.

President Donald Trump reacts during a campaign event at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona U.S., September 14, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Trump is embarking on a heavier fundraising schedule in coming weeks as his re-election campaign faces a possible cash crunch that has forced it to pull back television advertising in some crucial states.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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