Nearly $1 billion has been spent on political ads over the last week
There has been just shy of $1 billion spent on political ads in the last week, close to one-tenth of the more than $10 billion spent since the start of 2023.
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Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, greets supporters during a campaign rally at The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas on September 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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With Election Day around the corner, there's been just shy of $1 billion spent on political ads up and down the ballot in the last week, data from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact shows.
The $994 million is close to one-tenth of the more than $10 billion that's been spent on political advertising so far since the start of 2023, spent across just seven days. And while Election Day may bring a temporary end to the spending onslaught that's seemingly dominated every television commercial break in recent weeks, it's not over yet: There's still more than $300 million in future advertising time booked between Sunday and Tuesday.
The most expensive race over the last week is, unsurprisingly, the presidential race, where more than $272 million has been spent on ads, according to data from AdImpact. Former President Donald Trump's campaign has narrowly outspent Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign $43.4 million to $40.7 million between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2, but Democratic super PACs helped the party narrowly outspend Republicans over that period in the presidential race.
The vast majority of the almost $1 billion spent on ads this week has come in down-ballot races across the country, as candidates and outside groups spend furiously in races for Congress, the state House, pivotal ballot questions and other races.
There's been more than $267 million spent on ads in down-ballot races, meaning all of the other races outside of races for president, governor and Congress.
The two races drawing the most spending are in Florida, with $19 million in ad spending on the ballot referendum on abortion rights and about $18.5 million on the ballot referendum on legalizing marijuana there.One other down-ballot race saw more than $10 million in ad spending over the last week: California's referendum on rent control.Senate races have drawn $227 million so far.
Three Senate races have drawn more than $30 million each over the last week: Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.Wisconsin and Michigan are in the next tier, with more than $23 million in spending last week.House races have seen more than $208 million in ad spending.
New York's 19th District (where Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro is trying to hold on against Democrat Josh Riley) has seen the most, at almost $9 million in ad spending.California's 45th District, a race featuring Republican Rep. Michelle Steel and Democrat Derek Tran, is seeing the next highest amount of ad spending with about $7.5 million, followed closely by California's 27th District, where Republican Rep. Mike Garcia faces Democrat George Whitesides.Governors races have had just $18 million in ad spending in the last week, thanks to a relative lack of competitive races this cycle.
New Hampshire's open gubernatorial race, featuring Republican former Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, is seeing the most ad spending ($6.7 million).
