New Jersey Sets Political Ad Spending Record as 2026 Senate Ads Begin.

It may be a quieter year on the political advertising front, but records continue to fall. The New Jersey gubernatorial primary has already seen $51.1 million according to AdImpact. That has made it the most expensive New Jersey gubernatorial race in history. By comparison, $30.1 million was spent four years ago and $21.2 million was spent in 2017. Even more noteworthy is the record has been set even before the general election period has begun.

AdImpact reports that most of the ad spending has come from Democrats in the race and their allies. Combined, they have spent $40 million—or more than three-quarters of the advertising total to date.

On the Republican side, former radio show host Bill Spadea has seen $849,000 in ad support, which is less than the frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli, who has had $3 million in ad support. Ciattarelli previously ran for New Jersey Governor in 2017 and 2021. State Senator Jon Bramnick has also had $948,000 in ad support.

Among the Democrats, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) has spent the most on his candidacy, with $18.2 million of ad support to date. Steven Fulop, the current Jersey City mayor, is closely behind with $14.5 million. The analysis shows other Democratic candidates in the primary have received considerably less ad support, including Sean Spiller ($8.5 million), Ras Baraka ($1.7 million), Mikie Sherrill ($1.4 million), and Steve Sweeney ($805,000).

Across the Hudson River, the New York City mayoral primary is also among the biggest campaigns underway. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has had the most advertising support. AdImpact says the issue group Fix the City placed $5.8 million in ads supporting Cuomo ahead of the city’s June primary. But $200,000 has also been spent attacking Cuomo by his rivals.

Meanwhile, in Virginia, the gubernatorial primary “remains quiet,” says AdImpact, with only $386,000 spent so far. That is far less than the $7.5 million that was spent by this same point in the 2021 primary. It says there has not been a single broadcast TV ad in the 2025 primary so far.

Looking forward to 2026, AdImpact says it has detected $5.2 million already being spent across Georgia, North Carolina, and Maine in the upcoming Senate races in those states. The money came from a Republican-aligned group called One Nation that has aired commercials related to health care and transgender athletes.