Midterms saw $11.6 billion in ad spend

Americans reached a peak in campaign ad fatigue as the 2026 midterm election cycle concluded with a record $11.6 billion in spending. This total exceeds the combined box office revenue of American cinemas from the previous year by $3 billion.

Republicans and Democrats jointly funded this historic surge in advertising. Elon Musk contributed nearly $500 million personally to support Republican candidates. This sum approached the $1 billion investment SpaceX made in Skydance.

Jennifer Balkcom, a state legislator running for a competitive House seat in the Asheville district, featured a personal story in her campaign material. The ad showed her sitting at a kitchen table describing how her mother shot an intruder who broke into their home. Balkcom characterized her mother as a fighter to emphasize vigilance and strength.

In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn utilized a visual metaphor in her gubernatorial race. The advertisement depicted her crushing fortune cookies in a Chinese restaurant while discussing the need to hunt down Communists. She also addressed alleged Chinese buy-ups of farm land, noting that foreign countries hold over 2.4 percent of the state's land. China ranks ninth among foreign landowners in Tennessee, behind Canada. Her campaign also included an AI-generated video of her rapping.

Barack Obama visited a gym in Iowa to shoot hoops with Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek. The former president highlighted Turek's background as a Paralympian gold medalist. The ad focused on their personal connection and casual discussions about basketball players rather than specific policy details. Obama won the state in both 2008 and 2012.

Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson countered with a metaphor involving a movie theater. The spot showed her handing popcorn and candy to an unseen hand from another section. She discussed her bipartisan efforts, including work with Democrats on veteran benefits and collaboration with President Trump on health insurance costs. The ad ended with a scene of spilled popcorn.

James Talarico's campaign in Texas revisited a 2012 incident involving Ken Paxton. Surveillance footage showed Paxton placing a $1,000 Montblanc pen in his pocket after spotting it in a courthouse security tray. The Talarico campaign located the original owner, attorney Joe Joplin, for an interview. The ad asked viewers what Paxton might steal next. The Texas race saw a record $600 million in spending.

Steve Hilton, a British-born former Fox News host running in California, released a potentially AI-generated advertisement. The spot featured two young women in bed with a softly lit atmosphere. The ad used the double entendre 'Just Try It' and concluded with the phrase 'Now lick it' to refer to mail-in ballots. Hilton also proposed a 60 percent tax credit during his campaign.