Political Projections
REPORT 2025-2026
AdImpact is excited to share its exclusive projection for the 2026 cycle, with political ad spending expected to reach $10.8B, making it the most expensive midterm on record.
Last cycle, AdImpact’s industry-leading projection of $10.7B came within 5% of the actual $11.2B, underscoring our position as the most trusted source for political advertising insights.
WHAT'S IN THE REPORT
- Most Expensive Midterm on Record: Political ad spending projected to reach $10.8B, up more than 20% from 2022
- CTV Growth Takes Center Stage: Advertisers expected to spend $2.5B on CTV, the fastest-growing media type
- The $5B Battle for Congress: House and Senate races projected to total $5B, nearly half of all cycle spending
- Early Spending Surge: Advertisers have already spent $900M through August 26, 2025, pacing well ahead of 2023 and 2021

About AdImpact
AdImpact is a pioneering advertising intelligence and analytics firm, trusted by customers to navigate today's complex media environment. We specialize in data solutions that illuminate consumer behavior and media trends across platforms, from traditional to emerging digital channels, with a strong focus on data safety and privacy.
Our expertise in tracking and analyzing advertising data empowers businesses to make impactful decisions confidently. We provide real-time monitoring of over one billion TV ad occurrences daily, maintaining a growing library of 1.2 million unique creatives. AdImpact's coverage spans 210 designated market areas (DMAs), 41,000 zip codes, and over 24 million IP addresses, delivering insights for more than 90,000 brands and advertisers.
Through our reliable data and analytics, clients gain actionable insights into competitor ad strategies, spending patterns, messaging, and creative trends tailored to their business needs. At AdImpact, we don't just understand the present; we equip our clients to anticipate and shape the future of advertising.