Full Breakdown
Record Senate Ad Spending Near $2.8 B as Campaigns Flood Airwaves
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Spending Overview
AdImpact’s latest analysis shows that ad purchases in the 2024 Senate contests total roughly $2.8 billion. Republicans have poured $1.6 billion into Senate ads, outspending Democrats’ $1.1 billion and independents’ $136 million. The Texas race between Democratic state Rep. James Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton tops the list with $501 million in spending, the only non-presidential contest to breach the half-billion mark.
State Highlights: Texas, Maine, Alaska
- Texas: Pro-Republican ads account for $367 million, Democratic ads $133 million, and independents $1.2 million.
- Maine: With Republican incumbent Susan Collins facing Democrat Troy Jackson, ad spending reaches $221.55 per voting-age resident—about $128 from Republicans and $93 from Democrats.
- Alaska: Total outlays of $117 million translate to $207.45 per voting-age resident.
Data & Statistics
- Top five states by total Senate ad spend: Texas ($501 M), Ohio ($452 M), Michigan ($297 M), Maine ($259 M), Iowa ($207 M).
- Per-voter spending ranks Maine first, followed by Alaska.
- A CBS News/YouGov survey scheduled for September 23 to October 1 found that 10 percent of respondents said they could still change their minds before Election Day.
Official Statements & Responses
University of Houston professor Brandon Rottinghaus noted that “competitive races drive up the price tag of elections,” and added that Texas spending describing the contest as “largely baked.”
Republican consultant Brendan Steinhauser warned of “diminishing returns” on ad buys, while strategist Mike Madrid observed that saturation buys supporting Paxton are “failing,” a view echoed by poll leads for Talarico.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Competitive races drive up the price tag of elections,” — Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor in the University of Houston's Department of Political Science