AdImpact tracked a record 11.21 billion dollars in 2026 midterm political advertising, spent and reserved, topping the 11.20 billion dollars of the 2024 presidential cycle, with 11.6 billion dollars projected by Election Day. These US midterm ad expenditure statistics also show outside groups spending a projected 3.9 billion dollars, led by the Senate Leadership Fund at 489 million dollars and MAGA Inc. at 353 million dollars.
US Midterm Ad Expenditure 2026 – Introduction
US midterm ad expenditure statistics for 2026 break every earlier midterm record. AdImpact counted 11.21 billion dollars in political advertising spent and reserved by late October. That is the first time a midterm cycle has out-spent the presidential cycle before it. The 2022 midterms cost 8.9 billion dollars, and the 2018 midterms cost 3.6 billion dollars. Senate races drove much of the jump, and Republicans and Democrats both poured money into Texas.
This report covers total ad spending, the media mix, super PAC outlays, dark money, corporate donations and the state of federal enforcement. Figures come from AdImpact, OpenSecrets, Public Citizen and Federal Election Commission data as of November 5, 2026. Trackers define spending differently, so totals differ by tracker. Spending data also keeps changing as late filings arrive, so treat the numbers as preliminary.
Interesting Facts About US Midterm Ad Spending in 2026
2026 total spending estimates by tracker (billions of dollars)
OpenSecrets (all spending) | ████████████████████████ 11.9
AdImpact projected (ads) | ███████████████████████ 11.6
AdImpact tracked (ads) | ██████████████████████ 11.21| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| AdImpact ad spending, spent and reserved | 11.21 billion dollars |
| AdImpact projection by Election Day | 11.6 billion dollars |
| 2022 midterm ad spending | 8.9 billion dollars |
| 2018 midterm ad spending | 3.6 billion dollars |
| Growth over 2022 | 30% |
| OpenSecrets total spending estimate | 11.9 billion dollars |
| Projected outside spending | 3.9 billion dollars |
| Largest outside spender | Senate Leadership Fund, 489 million dollars |
| Dark money tracked | 1.47 billion dollars |
| FEC enforcement backlog | 307 cases |
Source: AdImpact political ad tracking, OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission data, and FEC acting chair statements, October and November 2026.
The table shows two different measures. AdImpact counts only advertising, and its 11.21 billion dollar figure includes future reservations and is not adjusted for inflation. OpenSecrets counts all spending by candidates and outside groups, and projects 11.9 billion dollars. Both beat the 2022 midterm record. AdImpact puts the gain over 2022 at 30%.
Outside money rose faster than anything else. OpenSecrets projects 3.9 billion dollars of outside spending, up 85% from 2 billion dollars in 2022. Republican-aligned groups lead the list, with the Senate Leadership Fund at 489 million dollars and MAGA Inc. at 353 million. The FEC, the agency meant to police this money, has not had a quorum since May 2025, and its enforcement backlog stands at 307 cases.
US Political Ad Spending by Election Cycle 2026: Midterm Records
Political ad spending by cycle, AdImpact (billions of dollars)
2018 midterm | ███████ 3.6
2022 midterm | ██████████████████ 8.9
2024 presidential | ██████████████████████ 11.2
2026 midterm (projected) | ███████████████████████ 11.6| Cycle | Ad Spending | Change vs Prior Midterm |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 midterm | 3.6 billion dollars | n/a |
| 2022 midterm | 8.9 billion dollars | +147% |
| 2024 presidential | 11.2 billion dollars | n/a |
| 2026 midterm, tracked so far | 11.21 billion dollars | +26% |
| 2026 midterm, projected | 11.6 billion dollars | +30% |
Source: AdImpact political ad tracking, October 2026. Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
Midterm ad spending has more than tripled in eight years. It rose from 3.6 billion dollars in 2018 to 8.9 billion in 2022, a gain of 147%. The 2026 tracked total of 11.21 billion dollars is 26% above 2022, and the projected 11.6 billion dollars is 30% above. The tracked figure passed the 11.20 billion dollar total of the entire 2024 cycle with about a week left before Election Day.
The projection moved up during the cycle. AdImpact first forecast 10.8 billion dollars in 2025, then raised the figure to 11.6 billion in its June update. The first forecast fell about 7% short of that later figure. In the last cycle, its 10.7 billion dollar forecast landed within 5% of the 11.2 billion dollar actual. Final 2026 totals will come after the last ads air. AdImpact also notes that its tracking covers most, but not all, political and issue ads, so other estimates run higher or lower depending on what each tracker counts.
2026 Digital Media Buying: Broadcast vs Connected TV Ad Spending
Share of 2026 Q3 political ads aired, by medium (%)
Broadcast TV | ███████████████████████████████████████████████████ 51
Connected TV | ███████████████████████ 23
Digital platforms | ███████████████ 15
Other (remainder) | ███████████ 11| Medium | Cycle Projection | Q3 Aired Share |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast TV | 5.6 billion dollars (about 48%) | 51% |
| Connected TV | 2.7 billion dollars | 23% |
| Digital platforms | n/a | 15% |
| Radio | 280 million dollars (earlier projection) | n/a |
Source: AdImpact quarterly report and cycle projections, as reported October 2026. Shares reflect third-quarter spending of 3 billion dollars, not the full cycle.
Broadcast television still takes the biggest share. AdImpact projects 5.6 billion dollars, about 48% of all political ad dollars. In the third quarter it carried 51% of the 3 billion dollars that aired. Connected TV is the fastest-growing medium. AdImpact projects 2.7 billion dollars for it, up from 2.5 billion in its first forecast, and CTV took 23% of third-quarter ads.
Digital platforms took 15% of third-quarter ads. Radio is shrinking, with an earlier AdImpact projection of 280 million dollars, down from 330 million in 2024. The mix shows a slow shift from broadcast to streaming, though broadcast remains the default for statewide Senate races. The third-quarter shares are a snapshot, and the full-cycle split will differ once fall spending is counted.
2026 Super PAC Spending: Biggest Outside Spenders Ranked
Super PAC spending in the 2026 cycle (millions of dollars)
Senate Leadership Fund (R) | █████████████████████████████████████████████████ 489
MAGA Inc. (R) | ███████████████████████████████████ 353
Senate Majority PAC (D) | █████████████████████████ 248
House Majority PAC (D) | ███████████████████ 192| Super PAC | Alignment | 2026 Spending |
|---|---|---|
| Senate Leadership Fund | Republican | 489 million dollars |
| MAGA Inc. | Republican | 353 million dollars |
| Senate Majority PAC | Democratic | 248 million dollars |
| House Majority PAC | Democratic | 192 million dollars |
Source: OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission data, as reported November 2026.
Republican-aligned super PACs lead the ranking. The Senate Leadership Fund spent 489 million dollars. It was at about 174 million on October 5, so most of its money flowed in the final month. MAGA Inc., Donald Trump’s main super PAC, spent 353 million dollars. It raised nearly 450 million this cycle and paid out almost all of its money after September 1, much of it through two groups created that day.
Democratic groups trail. Senate Majority PAC spent 248 million dollars and House Majority PAC 192 million. WinSenate PAC, run by Senate Majority PAC, ran about 109 million dollars through October 5, the fourth-largest outside spender at that point. Texas PAC, a Republican group, ranked second at about 133 million dollars on that date.
2026 Outside Spending and Dark Money Statistics: Record Totals
Outside and dark money totals (billions of dollars)
Outside spending, 2022 | ████████████████████ 2
Outside spending, 2026 (proj.) | ███████████████████████████████████████ 3.9
Dark money, 2024 | ██████████████ 1.35
Dark money, 2026 | ███████████████ 1.47| Metric | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Projected outside spending | 3.9 billion dollars |
| Outside spending in 2022 | 2 billion dollars |
| Increase | 85% |
| Conservative groups’ outside spending | 2.03 billion dollars |
| Liberal groups’ outside spending | 1.67 billion dollars |
| Republican-aligned lead | 360 million dollars |
| Dark money identified | 1.47 billion dollars |
| Dark money in all of 2024 | 1.35 billion dollars |
Source: OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission data, October and November 2026.
Outside groups grew faster than the cycle as a whole. OpenSecrets projects 3.9 billion dollars, up 85% from 2 billion in 2022. Conservative groups spent about 2.03 billion dollars against 1.67 billion for liberal groups, a Republican-aligned lead of about 360 million. Candidates tell a different story, since Democratic candidates are expected to spend more than 2.2 billion dollars to about 1.4 billion for Republicans.
Dark money set a record. OpenSecrets identified about 1.47 billion dollars in contributions to outside groups from sources that do not disclose their donors. That tops the 1.35 billion dollars recorded in all of 2024, a presidential year. OpenSecrets expects post-election filings to push the total higher. Dark money matters because it hides who is funding the ads that voters see.
Corporate Super PAC Donations 2026: Record 737 Million Dollars
Top corporate contributors to 2026 super PACs (millions of dollars)
Andreessen Horowitz | ██████████████████████████████████████ 76.2
Crypto.com | ████████████████████ 39
Gemini and Winklevoss | ██████████████████ 35.7
British American Tobacco | █████████ 17.9
Energy Transfer | ████████ 15.9
Altria | ████████ 15.6| Corporation | Total Given | Notable Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Andreessen Horowitz | 76.2 million dollars | Leading the Future, 50 million dollars |
| Crypto.com | 39 million dollars | MAGA Inc., 35 million dollars |
| Gemini and Winklevoss | 35.7 million dollars | MAGA Inc., 14.3 million dollars |
| British American Tobacco | 17.9 million dollars | MAGA Inc., 8 million dollars |
| Energy Transfer | 15.9 million dollars | MAGA Inc., 12.5 million dollars |
| Altria | 15.6 million dollars | MAGA Inc., 1 million dollars |
Source: Public Citizen analysis of OpenSecrets and Federal Election Commission data, November 2026.
Public Citizen counts 737 million dollars in corporate money flowing into the 2026 midterms, a record. Its top 15 corporate contributors gave 473.9 million dollars combined. Andreessen Horowitz leads with 76.2 million dollars, including 50 million to Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC network. Leading the Future received 50.1 million dollars in corporate money. OpenSecrets counted 22.4 million dollars spent by its Think Big arm through October 5.
MAGA Inc. is the biggest single beneficiary of corporate gifts. Crypto.com gave it 35 million dollars, Energy Transfer 12.5 million, and Gemini and Winklevoss 14.3 million. British American Tobacco gave 8 million and Altria 1 million. The Senate Leadership Fund received 48.8 million dollars in corporate money. Crypto, AI and energy firms now sit among the largest donors.
2026 Texas Senate and Congressional Ad Spending: Most Expensive Races
Texas Senate race spending, Oct. 5 data (millions of dollars)
Outside groups | █████████████████████████████ 287
All candidates | █████████ 90
James Talarico | █████ 47
Jon Ossoff (Georgia) | ████ 40| Metric | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Texas Senate campaign spending, total | 680 million dollars |
| Texas outside spending, through Oct. 5 | 287 million dollars |
| Texas candidate spending, through Oct. 5 | About 90 million dollars |
| James Talarico candidate spending | 47 million dollars |
| Jon Ossoff candidate spending | About 40 million dollars |
| Projected Senate ad spending | 3.4 billion dollars (+48% vs 2022) |
| Democratic candidate spending | More than 2.2 billion dollars |
| Republican candidate spending | About 1.4 billion dollars |
| Projected spending on House and Senate races | 5 billion dollars (AdImpact projection) |
| Projected state legislature ads | 700 million dollars (+19% vs 2024) |
| Projected California ad spending | Above 1.1 billion dollars (early projection) |
Source: OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission data and AdImpact projections, October and November 2026. Congressional, state legislature and California figures are AdImpact cycle projections.
Texas was the most expensive Senate contest. OpenSecrets reports 680 million dollars in Senate campaign spending in the state. Through October 5, outside groups had spent about 287 million dollars there, while all candidates had spent about 90 million. Talarico, who won the seat, spent 47 million dollars. Ossoff spent about 40 million in Georgia. Nine of the ten biggest-spending candidates were Democrats.
Senate ad spending is projected at 3.4 billion dollars, up 48% from 2022. AdImpact projected 5 billion dollars for all House and Senate races, nearly half of the cycle total, and 700 million dollars for state legislature ads, up 19% from 2024. California led all states in its early projection, at more than 1.1 billion dollars. Republicans won the outside money contest and Democrats won the candidate money contest, with Democratic candidates above 2.2 billion dollars to about 1.4 billion. Outside groups outspent candidates in Texas by more than 3 to 1, and Democrats still took the seat by 12.3 points.
Federal Election Audits 2026: FEC Quorum Loss and Enforcement Backlog
FEC pending enforcement matters over time
About Sept. 2025 | ███████████████ 154
Dec. 2025 | ███████████████████ 190
March 2026 | ████████████████████ 195
Sept. 2026 | ███████████████████████████████ 307| Metric | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Quorum lost | May 1, 2025 |
| Commissioners seated | 2 of 6 |
| Commissioners needed for action | 4 |
| Enforcement backlog, Sept. 2026 | 307 cases |
| Backlog about a year earlier | 154 cases |
| Cases closed in the 12 months before quorum loss | 180 |
| Civil penalties in those 12 months | About 1 million dollars |
| Cases resolved by vote since | 0 |
Source: Federal Election Commission chair statements and agency records, as reported by CBS News and NOTUS, September and October 2026.
The FEC cannot finalize audits. Audits, fines, rules, investigations and formal legal advice all require at least 4 commissioners, and the agency has had only 2 since May 1, 2025, both Democrats. It can still publish disclosure reports and accept complaints. In the 12 months before it lost its quorum, it closed 180 cases and imposed about 1 million dollars in penalties. Since then it has not resolved a case by vote or approved a new civil penalty.
The backlog doubled. It rose from 154 pending enforcement matters to 307 by September 2026, a record high according to acting chair Shana Broussard. Trump nominated two Republicans to restore a quorum, but the latest reports I found showed the Senate had not confirmed them. A bare quorum of 4 would need unanimity on most matters. Former FEC attorney Adav Noti warned that weak enforcement may invite violations in a cycle with more than 11 billion dollars at stake.
Frequently Asked Questions About US Midterm Ad Expenditure Statistics 2026
How much was spent on political ads in the 2026 midterms?
AdImpact tracked 11.21 billion dollars in political ads, spent and reserved, by late October 2026. It projects 11.6 billion dollars by Election Day.
Is 2026 the most expensive midterm election ever?
Yes. The 2022 midterms cost 8.9 billion dollars in ads and 2018 cost 3.6 billion. The 2026 projection is 30% above 2022.
How much did super PACs spend in the 2026 midterms?
The Senate Leadership Fund spent 489 million dollars and MAGA Inc. 353 million. Senate Majority PAC spent 248 million and House Majority PAC 192 million.
How much will outside groups spend in 2026?
OpenSecrets projects 3.9 billion dollars in outside spending, up 85% from 2 billion in 2022.
How much dark money was spent in 2026?
OpenSecrets identified about 1.47 billion dollars in dark money, above the 1.35 billion dollars recorded in all of 2024.
What is the most expensive Senate race of 2026?
Texas, with about 680 million dollars in Senate campaign spending, according to OpenSecrets.
How much corporate money went into the 2026 midterms?
Public Citizen counts a record 737 million dollars in corporate super PAC contributions, led by Andreessen Horowitz at 76.2 million.
Which type of media gets the most political ad money in 2026?
Broadcast television, projected at 5.6 billion dollars or about 48%. Connected TV is the fastest-growing, projected at 2.7 billion.
Does the FEC have a quorum in 2026?
No. The FEC has lacked a quorum since May 1, 2025, and has only 2 of 6 commissioners.
How large is the FEC enforcement backlog in 2026?
The backlog reached 307 pending enforcement matters by September 2026, up from 154 about a year earlier.
Who spent more in 2026, Democrats or Republicans?
Democratic candidates spent more, above 2.2 billion dollars to about 1.4 billion. Republican-aligned outside groups spent about 360 million more.
Which state had the most political ad spending in 2026?
California led AdImpact’s early projection at more than 1.1 billion dollars. Texas led Senate spending at about 680 million dollars.
Which AI super PAC spent in the 2026 midterms?
Leading the Future, a pro-AI network backed by Andreessen Horowitz, received 50.1 million dollars in corporate money. Its Think Big arm spent 22.4 million through October 5.
How much did Senate races drive ad spending in 2026?
AdImpact projects 3.4 billion dollars in Senate ad spending, up 48% from 2022. House and Senate races together were projected at 5 billion dollars.
Are political ad spending figures adjusted for inflation?
No. AdImpact’s figures are not adjusted for inflation and include future ad reservations.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.