Dem gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong hasn’t spent a dime on traditional TV buys over the course of her campaign and has put just $150,200 into online ads, according to a check of her campaign finance reports.

In all, Hong has spent $300,598 on anything related to paid media, from consulting fees to graphic design to newspaper ads. 

It’s a stark contrast to others in the field. Expected GOP nominee Tom Tiffany, for example, has reported $7.6 million in media expenses, including $3.9 million on TV.

Tiffany, though, has vastly outraised the Dem field, thanks partly to $10.2 million in transfers from the state GOP this year that have helped him raise nearly $15.5 million for his bid overall.

But even compared to all of her Dem rivals, Hong has been outspent on paid media, an anomaly for a frontrunner in a statewide race.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has reported $572,317 in media expenses, including $402,042 on TV for the course of his campaign.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Kelda Roys, has spent $652,870 on media, including $602,569 on TV, and former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan has dropped $503,485 on media, including $500,006 on TV.

Hong had only outspent former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who dropped out of the race last week.

His departure came days after finishing the pre-primary period with less than $125,000 in the bank. He reported just $89,069 on paid media, with $80,021 of that going to digital ads.

Hong spokesperson Allison Geyer said the campaign sought to reach voters “as efficiently and directly as possible” with an emphasis on streaming services rather than traditional TV, which hits a lot of viewers who may not vote in the Dem primary.

“We’re not running the campaign political consultants have run for the last 20 years, and this strategy has made us the frontrunner,” Geyer said. “We’re investing in the tools that help us build the broadest coalition and turn those supporters out.”

WisPolitics pulled the numbers from each campaign for expenses over the past year and tallied anything labeled a media expense, from TV and consulting fees to radio and website development. Those expenses run through the close of the pre-primary period that ended July 27.

Roys noted in an interview with WisPolitics that Hong has benefited extensively through paid media from GOP groups seeking to influence the primary. 

The Republican Governors Association has spent nearly $3.6 million through its Right Direction Wisconsin PAC on ads opposing Hong, according to its filing with the state. But many have seen a dual purpose to the ads with a focus on the democratic socialist’s opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and her vow to return the Dem Party to its progressive roots. The RGA’s latest ad has turned more to a contrast between Hong and Tiffany.

Meanwhile, WisPolitics reported Monday the sole donor to an organization that’s spent $970,827 to back Hong through mail and TV has been accused of being a GOP front group.

“The fact that Republicans are spending in our primary more than all the Democrats put together are spending really should be raising alarms for all voters in the state,” Roys told WisPolitics.