In Battleground States, Trump Is Ahead in Polls but Playing Catch-Up on the Ground

WASHINGTON—At the start of their general-election showdown, former President Donald Trump holds a polling advantage over President Biden in a series of battleground states. But on the ground, Trump is playing catch-up.

Seeking to create momentum after Biden’s lively State of the Union address, the president’s campaign said Friday it was launching a $30 million, six-week advertising campaign and would increase hiring of staff in battleground states. The campaign said it had 100 staff on the ground and would add at least 350 new staff members and open 100 offices in March. And national Democrats have so far pumped millions more dollars into building infrastructure in key states than Republicans have.