While 2025 featured meaningful national and local political activity across multiple levels of government, the 2026 midterm elections will be the defining driver of political advertising this cycle. With key contests unfolding across the country, we anticipate strong, sustained investment from campaigns, parties, and independent organizations, keeping television at the center of voter outreach and persuasion.
We project the 2025–2026 political advertising cycle to reach $10.8 billion in total spend. Broadcast television remains the largest component of that mix, projected at $5.28 billion, reflecting its continued role as a trusted, high-reach medium that delivers consistent scale and frequency.
At the same time, CTV is projected at $2.48 billion, representing approximately 24% of total cycle spending and standing out as the primary growth area within the broader television ecosystem.
Why CTV Continues to Expand
CTV growth is being driven by both 1st run and premium inventory expansion, as well as increased buyer confidence.
On the supply side, streaming platforms are delivering more premium, brand-safe inventory than ever before, fueled by platform-exclusive programming, major studio content, and the continued rise of live and event-based viewing.
On the demand side, political advertisers are moving beyond early testing and leaning into streaming as a scalable way to enhance targeting, manage frequency, and extend reach to audiences increasingly consuming content outside traditional linear environments.
Broadcast Remains Foundational
Even as streaming grows, broadcast remains essential for many campaigns. It continues to provide broad reach quickly, reinforce credibility, and deliver durable frequency, particularly among viewers who may be difficult to reach through streaming-only approaches. For many races, broadcast remains the most effective way to deliver messaging at scale.
Finding the Right Mix in 2026
The opportunity in 2026 is not choosing between broadcast and streaming, it is optimizing the efficiency and effectiveness of advertising dollars across all media, including cable, radio, socials, satellite, and more.
Marketers' ability to balance the full TV ecosystem will play a meaningful role in campaign effectiveness. The shift toward streaming accelerated during the 2024 presidential cycle and continued through the 2025 off-year.
With 2026 positioned to deliver the largest midterm TV opportunity to date, campaigns that embrace a balanced approach, pairing broadcast and radio scale potential with the targeting capabilities of CTV, cable, socials, and others, will be best positioned to maximize impact.