Political campaigns and their affiliated groups have spent more than $10 billion on advertising for the 2026 midterm elections through September, according to data from ad-tracking firm AdImpact. As candidates enter the final week before the election, AdImpact expects an additional $1.6 billion in spending, making this cycle the most expensive in U.S. history for political advertising.
The Wesleyan Media Project, which monitors campaign messaging, reported that more than 250,000 ads are airing per week. While both parties have focused heavily on economic issues such as the cost of groceries and gas, the closing arguments have increasingly featured personal attacks and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Data from Wesleyan shows that cost-of-living concerns appeared in nearly 25% of recent Democratic Senate ads, while 20% of Republican ads focused on taxes and government spending. AdImpact noted a shift in Republican strategy regarding Donald Trump; while he appeared in 56% of GOP ads in February, he was featured in less than 1% by September. Conversely, Democrats featured Trump in 20% of their ads in October.
The cycle has also seen a rise in AI-generated content. Wesleyan identified 220 AI-made ads supported by $137 million in spending, an increase from the less than $50,000 spent on such ads in 2024. Approximately 81% of these AI ads originated from Republican-aligned groups, including a super PAC ad featuring a deepfake of Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). Researchers noted that nearly 75% of AI-generated ads do not include a disclosure to inform viewers the content was artificially created.
The emergence of AI-generated content introduces a new dynamic for voters, who must discern between authentic footage and deepfakes. With $137 million currently funding these ads and no federal law requiring disclosure, identifying artificial content is challenging.
The high volume of attack ads also reflects a strategy by outside groups, which are currently outspending individual candidates by a three-to-one margin. While voters frequently report an aversion to negative advertising, campaign marketers continue the practice because they perceive it as effective. The impact of this spending will be measured on Election Day, as these advertisements are designed to influence voter turnout and candidate choice in the final days of the campaign.