TikTok launches ad campaign in battleground states in which vulnerable Dem senators seek reelection

TikTok launched a $2.1 million advertising campaign try to stop Congress from voting on a measure to effectively ban the social media app in the U.S. that will be run in states in which Senate Democrats are in tough reelection bids.

The bill, targeting the app, whose parent company is China based, overwhelmingly passed the GOP-controlled House and now awaits a vote in the Senate.

“Think about the 5 million small business owners that rely on TikTok to provide for their families,” a TikTok user said in the ad, which will run through mid-April, according to CNBC News.

Another user says about the short-form video app, immensely popular among young Americans: “To see all of that disappear would be so sad."

The House measure calls for parent company ByteDance to divest in TikTok, or face the app being removed from app stores on which it can be downloaded to smart phones. 

The company has reserved television ad space in the battleground states of Nevada, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to data from AdImpact reviewed by CNBC.

The five states are represented by vulnerable Senate Democrats, each seeking reelection. 

The ads also will reportedly be run in Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York.