The 19 greatest and worst presidential campaign ads of the 2020 election

The good, the bad, and the goofy of the 2020 presidential ads, ranked

Joe Biden.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock)

No one really knows for sure if campaign ads work, but there's no denying their venerated spot in American politics. From the oft-imitated Ronald Reagan "Morning In America" ad from 1984 to Lyndon B. Johnson's terrifying "Daisy Girl" ad from 1964 — which involves the suggested nuking of a toddler — presidential ads can run the gamut from inspiring to trollish, from tear-jerkers to grotesquely manipulative.

In 2020, the presidential candidates alone are expected to spend a combined $2.75 billion or more on TV ads by Nov. 3, though most of that will be by Democratic candidate Joe Biden, who has "maintained a nearly 2-to-1 advantage on the airwaves for months," The New York Times reports. Cash-strapped Trump, notably, has spent the past several weeks retreating from the up-for-grabs states of Ohio, Iowa, and New Hampshire.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.