Data from ad tracking firm AdImpact shows that $1 billion was spent on political ads up and down the ballot in the last week as Election Day approached.
The $994 million is about one-tenth of the more than $10 billion spent on political advertising since the start of 2023, and in just seven days. While Election Day may have put a temporary end to the spending spree that has dominated every TV ad break in recent weeks, it’s far from over: There’s still more than $300 million in future ad time reserved between Sunday and Tuesday.
The most expensive race of the last week was, unsurprisingly, the presidential race, with more than $272 million spent on ads, according to data from AdImpact. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign outraised Vice President Kamala Harris’s $43.4 million to $40.7 million between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2, but Democratic super PACs narrowly outspent Republicans in the party’s presidential race.
The vast majority of the nearly $1 billion spent on ads this week came in down-ballot races across the country as candidates and outside groups spent furiously on races for Congress, the state House, key ballot questions and other races.
More than $267 million was spent on advertising in the primary races, which means all other races outside of the presidential, gubernatorial and congressional races.
- The two top-spending races are in Florida, with $19 million in ad spending on an abortion rights referendum and nearly $18.5 million in advertising spending on a marijuana legalization referendum.
- Another down-ballot race saw more than $10 million in ad spending last week: California’s rent control referendum.
Senate races have raised $227 million so far.
- Over the past week, three Senate races have raised more than $30 million each: Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.
- Wisconsin and Michigan are next, spending more than $23 million last week.
Advertising spending on home games totaled more than $208 million.
- New York’s 19th District (where Republican Rep. Mark Molinaro is running against Democrat Josh Riley) saw the most ad spending, at almost $9 million.
- California’s 45th District, a race between Republican Rep. Michelle Steele and Democrat Derek Tran, sees the next highest ad spending at nearly $7.5 million, followed by California’s 27th District, where Republican Rep. Mike Garcia faces Democrat George Whitesides.
Thanks to the relative lack of competitive races this cycle, the gubernatorial races spent just $18 million in advertising last week.
- New Hampshire’s open gubernatorial race between Republican former Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democrat former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig sees the most ad spending ($6.7 million).