Political Ad Spending Neared $12 Billion for Midterms

“More than $11 billion in political advertising spending recorded ahead of the 2026 midterms revealed a widening divide within traditional television. It is surprising enough that broadcast advertising continued to grow, but it’s even more unusual that streaming more than doubled its take to overtake cable as the second-largest destination for campaign dollars,” The Wrap reports.

“The shift offers a clearer picture of how political advertising is evolving heading into 2028.”

“Broadcast and cable television accounted for approximately 61% of political advertising spending through Oct. 28, down from nearly 72% during the full 2022 election cycle.”