Swing States, Broadcast Buys to Drive Record Political Ad Spending in 2026
With the 2026 US midterms shaping up to be a major windfall for political advertising, this "MediaTalk" episode unpacks how media companies should position for it.
Control of Congress is up for grabs, with a handful of "toss-up" Senate and House races. On top of that are the gubernatorial races. Taken together, record-level spending is expected. Local broadcast remains a cornerstone, with estimates of $4 billion in political revenue for local TV. Meanwhile, connected TV is no longer incremental — it's becoming a primary budget line thanks to targeting and reach beyond shrinking pay TV. The…
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