Republicans Pour $434 Million Into Midterm Ads as Polls Slip in Red-State Races
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Oct 15
Republicans Pour $434 Million Into Midterm Ads as Polls Slip in Red-State Races
1 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Oct 15
Summary
$434 million in new Republican ad spending over three weeks has flooded Senate and House races, including contests once seen as safely red, as Democrats gain in late polling.
AdImpact data showed Republican Senate ad buys jumped 46% and House spending 36%, with the push tied to voter anger over living costs and fuel prices that have hurt Donald Trump’s ratings.
Kansas and Florida illustrate the scramble: Kansas Republican ad spending rose to $21 million from $5 million as the Senate race tightened, while Florida spending climbed to $22.5 million from $7 million.
The party is also triaging its map, pulling back in North Carolina and Georgia even as Texas became the cycle’s biggest ad war at more than $503 million, with Democrat James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by about 3 points.
The broader risk for Republicans is that inflation and fuel costs—diesel averages about $6.30 a gallon, up more than 70% from a year ago—are weakening support among independents and in rural strongholds.