Developing
Election Day is November 3, 2026. Political spend can crowd commercial inventory and push up rates.
In 60 seconds
- AdImpact projects $11.6 billion in 2026 midterm political ad spending, reported by Digiday on October 5.
- That compares with $11.2 billion in the 2024 presidential cycle and $8.9 billion in the 2022 midterms.
- By channel: broadcast $5.6 billion, connected TV $2.6 billion, digital $1.6 billion, cable $1.4 billion and radio $273 million.
- By race: Senate $3.4 billion, down-ballot $3 billion, gubernatorial $2.4 billion and House $2 billion.
Impact Layer
- What changed
- A midterm cycle is forecast to outspend a presidential one for the first time in these figures.
- Why it matters
- Heavy political buying fills local TV and CTV inventory ahead of November 3, which affects rates and availability for commercial advertisers.
- Who is affected
- Local and national TV and CTV buyers, and brands advertising in competitive political markets.
- Martech stack area
- Advertising
- Stack impact
- Check availability and makegood terms for Q4 flights in swing markets, and consider shifting some spend to channels with less political demand.
- Business impact
- Moderate The figures are AdImpact's projections as reported by Digiday and PPC Land; the channel split was issued by AdImpact in June.
- Related technologies
- What to watch
- Q4 rate commentary from broadcasters and CTV platforms after November 3.
AdImpact projects $11.6 billion of political advertising for the 2026 midterms, PPC Land reported on October 5, citing Digiday’s Media Buying Briefing. That is about $400 million more than the 2024 presidential cycle ($11.2 billion) and well above the 2022 midterms ($8.9 billion).
Where the money goes
- Broadcast: $5.6 billion, slightly under half.
- Connected TV: $2.6 billion. Digital: $1.6 billion. Cable: $1.4 billion. Radio: $273 million. Satellite: $88 million.
- By race: Senate $3.4 billion, down-ballot issues and races $3 billion, gubernatorial $2.4 billion, House $2 billion, state legislature $698 million.
What buyers say
Practitioners quoted by PPC Land point to rising rates, displacement, makegoods and limited inventory as reasons broadcast still leads, and argue creative and location now matter more than third-party targeting. A DAX executive reports political podcast ad spend up 42% year over year. Election Day is November 3.
Our read
Commercial advertisers in heavy political markets should expect tighter inventory and ask for written makegood terms. Spend that does not depend on the same local broadcast and CTV slots is less exposed.
Sources
- PPC Land: Midterm ad spending overtakes the 2024 presidential race (opens in a new tab)
Source of the AdImpact projection, channel and race breakdowns and the practitioner comments. It links to Digiday's briefing.