The fight to define Harris is on. And for now, Republicans dominate Democrats on the airwaves

NEW YORK (AP) – Just days away from his new role as the Democratic Party probable presidential candidateKamala Harris is already facing a wave of Republican-backed attack ads questioning her personality, her progressive record and what she knew about President Joe Biden's downfall.

But for now, at least, the Democrats have yet to participate in the summer ad battle. And in a strong reversal for much of the year, Republicans are suddenly dominating the airways.

Overall, Trump and his allies are outspending Harris' team 25 to 1 on television and radio advertising, more than $68 million for Republicans compared to just $2.6 million for Democrats, in the period which started on monday, the next day. Biden stepped asidethrough the end of August, according to an AP analysis of data compiled by media tracking firm AdImpact.

The striking disparity reflects actual spending this week and bookings for the following week, which will almost certainly change in the coming days. But for now, the numbers highlight a dangerous imbalance for Democrats just as millions of voters are reshaping their views on the vice president, who has spent much of the past four years in Biden's shadow.

Some Harris allies are already sounding the alarm.

“Public opinion is like cement. It's soft at first and then it hardens,” said Sarah Longwell, co-founder of Republicans Voters Against Trump. “The next three weeks are definitive. It has to define itself before Trump defines it.”

Of course, Harris only got the Biden endorsement on Sunday. And in the days since, friends and foes alike agree that he has benefited from a flood of so-called “earned” news coverage, very positive. Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio described it as the “Honeymoon for Harris” in a note Tuesday that predicted a surge in the polls for the Democratic vice president.

Asked about the advertising disparity, Harris spokesman Kevin Munoz said the vice president will “aggressively make his case along with a campaign infrastructure designed to win close elections.”

“In just 24 hours, Kamala Harris put abortion rights front and center for voters, broke fundraising records, and sent Donald Trump into a manic, public meltdown, because she knows that is better equipped to prosecute the case against a convicted felon like himself,” he said.

Harris' team has the money to launch a solid ad campaign whenever they want.

His campaign raised a staggering $100 million between Sunday afternoon and Monday night alone. And the allies, led by super PAC Future Forward, received $150 million in donor commitments in the first 24 hours after Biden dropped out of the race.

“Obviously, advertising is important and will increase, but it's not the only factor,” said Democratic strategist Josh Schwerin. “With Harris taking over as the presumptive nominee, she's getting very positive wall-to-wall coverage. … You always have to consider the context of the entire media ecosystem.”

Still, some of Harris' attack ads may be starting to shape the narrative.

Biden allies privately expressed concern about a new ad by Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who describes Harris as “the most liberal candidate ever.” The ad highlights his progressive positions on immigration, policing, energy and health care. It ends with audio of Harris laughing loudly, which has been a frequent Republican focus.

Trump's campaign has been largely silent on the airwaves since he emerged as his party's presumptive presidential nominee this spring. The delay in ad spending reflected, in part, the former president's financial challenges after expensive primaries and overwhelming legal bills. With the support of allied super PACs spending tens of millions on ads this summer, however, the Trump campaign can also afford to wait until more voters are paying attention this fall to spend money on advertising.

The pro-Trump super PAC Preserve America, backed by casino mogul Miriam Adelson, has booked $45 million in advertising through the end of August. MAGA Inc. has set aside another $23 million.

Meanwhile, Democrats only halted their ad spending after spending huge sums to boost Biden in the weeks and months before he dropped out.

Overall, the Biden campaign spent more than $138 million on advertising between Jan. 1 of this year and Sunday, when he announced his decision to step aside. While much of the advertising went after Trump, the ads also featured Biden, who is no longer a candidate and is largely seen as a political liability for Harris.

It is only a matter of time, perhaps days, before Harris and his allies ramp up their publicity plans.

While AdImpact found only about $2.6 million in Democratic-backed ad bookings through the end of August, the pro-Biden Future Forward super PAC will begin rolling out a $129 million ad campaign in September .

But for now, voters are only seeing presidential ads that touch on Harris.

One of them, from MAGA Inc., blames the vice president for “border encroachment, runaway inflation” and the death of the American dream.

“Kamala knew Joe couldn't do the job, so she did it,” says the narrator in the spot that began airing Sunday in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona. “They created this mess. They, no Kamala, own this failed record.