AdImpact has released new political advertising data six months before Election Day. Media organizations should be thrilled by what they see.
What We Know: Political advertising is always a boost to radio, television, digital, and cable companies. But after billions were spent during the 2022 midterms, the 2026 midterms are already outpacing the spending seen four years ago.
What The Number Show: On April 30th, the 2026 cycle had seen $3.24 billion spent on political advertising, according to AdImpact. That dwarfs the $2.14 billion spent during the 2022 cycle by the same date. Of that 2026 figure, $112.4 million alone was spent in California for that state’s gubernatorial race. $49.2 million has been spent in the Los Angeles market. California is primed to exceed the previous record of the most expensive governor’s race on record. That record is currently held by the 2022 race in Illinois, which saw $215.2 million spent. Meanwhile, federal races continue to pile on the dollars, including in key Senate races.
Top Republican Senate Spending By State
| State | Spending |
|---|---|
| Ohio | $52.3 million |
| North Carolina | $37.5 million |
| Maine | $30.6 million |
| Iowa | $28.1 million |
| Georgia | $25.6 million |
| Michigan | $25.3 million |
| New Hampshire | $12.9 million |
| Alaska | $10.6 million |
| Total | $222.7 million |
Top Democratic Senate Spending By State
| State | Spending |
|---|---|
| Maine | $18.1 million |
| New Hampshire | $7.6 million |
| Alaska | $360,000 |
| Total | $26.1 million |
What It Means: Political advertising is still an important category for virtually every medium. The sheer dollar amounts being spent on races from local to the state and national levels continue to increase. While the 2022 cycle reached just shy of $9 billion, the total spent in 2026 is just under $4.5 billion, including future reservations. That number is only going to continue to rise as we inch closer and closer to Election Day.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
