Nearly $1 billion was spent on political ads across various races last week, according to data from AdImpact reported by NBC News. The total reached $994 million, contributing to over $10 billion spent on political advertising since the start of 2023.
The most expensive race last week was the presidential election, with over $272 million dedicated to ads. However, most of the spending came from down-ballot races, including those for Congress, state legislatures, and important ballot measures.
In Florida, two key ballot referendums — on abortion rights and legalizing marijuana — led the spending at $19 million and $18.5 million, respectively. California’s referendum on rent control also saw significant investment, exceeding $10 million.
In the Senate races, Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania each surpassed $30 million in ad spending last week. Overall, the 2024 election cycle has seen a staggering $10.5 billion allocated for campaign ads, marking a $1 billion increase from four years ago.
Democrats have outspent Republicans, with expenditures of $5 billion to $4.1 billion since January 2023. Independent, third-party, and nonpartisan groups make up the remainder of the spending.
Twenty-three states have each seen more than $100 million in ad spending this cycle, but Pennsylvania leads with a remarkable $1.2 billion—marking the first time in U.S. history that a single state has exceeded $1 billion in ad spending.
The presidential campaign alone has accounted for $576 million in ads. Almost 80% of the funds for the presidential election have gone to seven pivotal states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada. Notably, Democrats have outspent Republicans in all seven, with Pennsylvania receiving the highest total of $578 million, which represents over a quarter of each party’s advertising budget.