Nearly $1 billion spent on political ads last week | Wilnesh News

As Election Day approaches, nearly $1 billion was spent on political ads on and off the ballot last week, according to ad tracking firm AdImpact.

That $994 million is nearly a tenth of the $10 billion spent on political advertising in just seven days since the start of 2023. While Election Day may temporarily end the onslaught of spending on nearly all TV ad slots in recent weeks, it’s not over yet: More than $300 million in future ad time remains booked between Sunday and Tuesday.

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive race last week was the presidential race, with more than $272 million in ad spending, according to AdImpact. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign spent $43.4 million to $40.7 million between October 27 and November 2, narrowly outpacing Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, but Democratic super-politics Action committees helped the party narrowly defeat Republicans in the presidential race during this period.

The vast majority of this week’s nearly $1 billion in ad spending has gone toward next-ballot races across the country, as candidates and outside groups spend wildly on Congress, state Houses, key ballot issues and other races.

More than $267 million was spent on ads in down-ballot races, meaning all but presidential, gubernatorial and congressional races.

• The two top-spending races were both in Florida, with $19 million in ad spending on the abortion rights referendum and about $18.5 million on the marijuana legalization referendum.
• Another election on the ballot saw more than $10 million in ad spending last week: the California rent control referendum.

Senate races have raised $227 million so far.

• Last week, prize money in three Senate races in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania each exceeded $30 million.
• Wisconsin and Michigan ranked second, spending more than $23 million last week.

Ad spending in House races exceeded $208 million.

• New York’s 19th District, where Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro is trying to challenge Democrat Josh Riley, spent the most on advertising, at nearly $9 million.
• California’s 45th District, where Republican Rep. Michelle Steel and Democrat Derek Tran are running, had the second-highest ad spending at about $7.5 million, a close second. In California’s 27th District, Republican Rep. Mike Garcia faces off against Democrat George Whitesides.

With a relative lack of competitive races this cycle, ad spending in the gubernatorial race last week was just $18 million.

• New Hampshire’s open gubernatorial race between Republican former Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig has the most advertising spending ($6.7 million).