The 2026 US midterm election campaign is breaking spending records, with outlets reporting historically high levels of political advertising ahead of the vote. The New York Times says the election is the most expensive national midterm in US history, citing more than $11 billion in ad spending.
BBC News similarly reports that the campaign is projected to cost nearly $12 billion, framing the figure through verification work on where the money has come from. The Oregonian adds more granular timing and sourcing, saying AdImpact found the 2025–2026 election cycle reached roughly $11.6 billion in political ad spending, presented as the highest on record even without a presidential race. Across the coverage, the shared focus is the scale of advertising spending, with each outlet emphasizing different aspects: totals, projections, and the ad-spend source and timing.
