CTV set to fuel record U.S. political spending in 2026

Here’s the thing

U.S. midterm ad spending is on track to reach record levels during the 2026 elections.

AdImpact projected in a recent report that this midterm cycle will be the most expensive of all time at $10 billion, up from the $8.9 billion spent during the 2022 cycle.

The forecasted surge is fueled by connected TV (CTV), which AdImpact expects to grow by 20% from 2024.

Data debrief

Political CTV spend hit $1.09 billion during the 2022 midterm cycle and $2.34 billion during the 2024 races, with next year projected to increase to $2.48 billion.

AdImpact projects broadcast TV, social platforms and CTV to increase in spending compared to the last midterm cycle in 2022. Cable TV and radio will decrease slightly.

But CTV is the only media type that AdImpact said will increase in spending compared to 2024.

Why it matters

Broadcast will still hold the biggest share of spend compared to other ad channels.

But broadcast spend is expected to decline slightly — from $5.36 billion in 2024 to $5.28 billion next year. AdImpact’s report noted that this shift is due to CTV’s growth, as campaigns favor “expanded opportunities to leverage first-party data.”

“CTV is now a core marketing strategy for 2026 campaigns, offering advertisers the ability to maximize both efficiency and overall reach,” said John Link, senior vice president of data at AdImpact.