We've been tracking the headline number, $10.8 billion in political ad spend this cycle, but the story that interests us is the underlying shift. Broadcast is slipping, and connected TV is the only channel still growing.
The 2026 midterms are on pace to be the most expensive in American history, but for us the more interesting question isn't how much. It's where. Connected TV is projected to reach $2.48 billion this cycle, up 20% from 2024, while broadcast spend continues to slip. More than 60% of U.S. households now use streaming as their primary TV source, and the dollars are finally catching up.
What we keep coming back to is what this opens up down-ballot. CTV's precision targeting means a school board candidate or a state house race can reach voters inside their actual district, without paying for the spillover that comes with a traditional broadcast buy. The shift won't be felt evenly, but we expect it to reshape what a competitive media plan looks like at every level of the ballot.
