AdImpact: Early 2026 Political Ad Spending Tops $1B As Issue Groups Dominate.

Political advertisers have spent roughly $1.05 billion so far across all 2026 races, according to new tracking from AdImpact, marking a sharp increase from the $934 million the firm had recorded as of Dec. 11 of last year.

The spending spans broadcast, cable, radio, digital, satellite and connected television, underscoring the rapid acceleration of campaign activity well ahead of Election Day.

Issue advocacy dominates the spending landscape, with healthcare-related advertising leading all categories at $104 million, followed by immigration-focused ads at $76 million. Among individual races, the Texas Senate contest has drawn $60 million in spending, while fundraising-related advertising accounts for $33 million, reflecting early efforts to shape narratives and mobilize donors.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security currently ranks as the top overall advertiser at $74 million, followed by One Nation at $27 million and Steyer for California governor at $25 million. Krishnamoorthi for Illinois Senate has spent $22 million, while the American Prosperity Alliance rounds out the top five with $18 million. On the messaging side, pro-healthcare ads total $75 million, narrowly outpacing anti-immigration advertising at $73 million, while pro-Democrat messaging stands at $47 million.

By party alignment, independent-aligned advertising accounts for 41% of spending tracked for 2026 vs. 32% for Republicans and 27% for Democrats. Issue groups are responsible for the vast majority of ad spending at 83%, while candidate committees account for the remaining 17%, highlighting the outsized role of outside groups in shaping the early campaign environment.

Digital platforms account for the largest share of ad placements at 34%, followed by connected TV at 22% and cable at 21%. Broadcast television still represents a significant portion at 19%, while radio has 3%. Washington, DC is the most heavily targeted broadcast market with $106 million in spending, far surpassing Dallas ($29 million) and Los Angeles ($28 million), with Chicago and Houston close behind.

Negative advertising has also emerged as a notable feature of early spending. Jones for Georgia governor has faced $7 million in negative ads, while Ossoff for Georgia Senate has been targeted with $6 million. Paxton for Texas Senate has drawn $5 million in negative spending, and two Pennsylvania Republican congressional candidates, Rob Bresnahan in the 8th District and Scott Perry in the 10th District, have each been targeted with $3 million.