Former President Donald Trump's campaign has seen a significant increase in spending, more than doubling last month, as he focused on launching an intense advertising campaign against his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. However, recent filings with the Federal Election Commission reveal that Trump is trailing behind Harris in terms of campaign infrastructure, hindering his ability to translate his financial resources into votes.

The ascendance of Harris in the race has completely upended Trump's plans, putting him once again at a disadvantage in terms of campaign cash. As the race enters its final months, the importance of money is expected to grow as both sides scramble to mobilize their respective bases and reach persuadable voters in key battleground states.

Throughout the spring and summer, Trump's presidential campaign consistently lagged behind in spending compared to President Joe Biden. However, the massive spending advantage did not seem to provide a significant boost to Biden, who was already struggling in the polls before the late June debate that further damaged his candidacy. This allowed Trump's campaign to conserve cash while maintaining a comfortable lead over his Democratic opponent.

Now, however, the situation has completely changed. Trump has not only lost his lead, but he has also lost the cash advantage he once held over Biden. With record fundraising, Vice President Harris' campaign reported an impressive $220 million in cash on hand at the end of July, compared to $151 million for Trump.

The crucial question now is how Trump's campaign will scale up its spending in the final sprint to Election Day. Unfortunately for Trump, his campaign is significantly smaller than it was at this point four years ago in terms of total spending and personnel, according to a POLITICO analysis of FEC filings. Furthermore, Trump has far less campaign infrastructure at his disposal compared to Harris, who inherited Biden's extensive operation.

Since the start of 2023, Trump's official campaign committee has spent a total of $117 million, while the Biden-turned-Harris operation has spent a staggering $330 million over the same period. These figures do not include fundraising expenses from joint fundraising committees or funds directed to other Trump groups for his legal bills.

In July, Trump's campaign was still massively outspent, with a reported spending of $24.3 million compared to the Biden-turned-Harris campaign committee's $80.7 million. A significant portion of Trump's campaign spending in July, $14.1 million, went towards paid media buys, with $13.5 million spent after Biden dropped out and endorsed Harris.

Despite the increase in spending, Trump's July totals are still substantially lower than what he was spending during his reelection campaign four years ago. In July 2020, Trump's campaign spent $65 million, including $34 million on placed media and $13 million on online and text message advertising. At that time, Trump's campaign committee and the Republican National Committee had a combined workforce of nearly 800 staffers.

In contrast, this July saw Trump's campaign and the RNC employ just over 300 staffers. Meanwhile, the Harris campaign and the Democratic National Committee boasted a combined workforce of approximately 1,100 staffers.

To bolster his campaign's efforts, Trump recently brought back former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and other top staffers who were previously working for a pro-Trump super PAC. While Trump's campaign spending has lagged, he has benefited from massive spending by outside groups that have taken on some functions traditionally handled by the campaign. For example, America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC, has spent nearly $20 million on canvassing since June, and Make America Great Again Inc. plans to spend $100 million on advertising leading up to Labor Day.

These super PACs have the advantage of being able to accept unlimited donations, with MAGA Inc. receiving a significant $50 million contribution from a single GOP megadonor in July. These funds may help counter Harris' cash advantage as the election approaches.

As the race intensifies, Trump's campaign finds itself in a challenging position. Despite his increased spending last month, Harris' campaign continues to hold a significant cash advantage. With limited time left, Trump's team will need to swiftly execute a strategy that maximizes his financial resources and effectively reaches voters in key swing states.