Will These Races 'Elect' to Advertise?

Political ad spending shows no sign of slowing down. AdImpact projects that campaigns will pour a record-breaking $10.8 billion into TV and streaming ads during the 2026 midterm elections. This would be a 22% increase over the 2022 midterms, though slightly below the $11.2 billion spent during the 2024 presidential race.

Broadcast TV Still Leads the Way

Traditional broadcast TV remains the top choice for campaigns, expected to take in 49% of all political ad dollars — about $5.28 billion. While this is just a bit lower than what was spent in 2024, it shows that TV is still seen as a powerful way to reach voters.

Connected TV Is on the Rise

The only platform expected to grow compared to 2024 is connected TV (CTV), climbing to $2.48 billion from $2.34 billion. As more voters stream their favorite shows, campaigns are taking advantage of CTV’s ability to deliver targeted ads to specific audiences.

Other Platforms See Small Declines

Spending on other media channels is predicted to dip slightly:

• Digital advertising: $1.43 billion (down from $1.7 billion)

• Cable TV: $1.29 billion (down from $1.37 billion)

• Radio: $280 million (down from $330 million)

• Satellite: $80 million (down from $90 million)

House Races Drive Growth

One of the biggest spending increases will come from U.S. House of Representatives races. AdImpact expects $2.2 billion to be spent on House ads — a 27% jump and the first time these races will pass the $2 billion mark. Senate races will also see modest growth, with ad spending edging up to $2.8 billion.

Off-Year Spending on the Rise

It’s not just election years seeing a boost. Through late August 2025, political ad spending was already up 38% compared to the same point in 2023 and 58% higher than 2021. Even in non-election years, campaigns are investing earlier to build name recognition and get ahead of opponents.

Cate Bender, the author, is Project Coordinator of Marketing Keys