By the time it’s over, this year’s race for president will have cost at least $3.5 billion. The single biggest expense will be campaign ads.

Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The Times, discusses the story that each campaign has been using those ads to tell, 30 seconds at a time.

Guest: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Donald J. Trump and the Republicans have bet big on anti-trans ads across the country.
• The Harris campaign’s recent Spanish-language advertising has highlighted an insult toward Puerto Rico at Mr. Trump’s rally in Madison Square Garden.
• Both parties are running ads that tell voters it’s OK to switch sides. “You can vote any way you want. And no one will ever know,” one says.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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