Mapped: Political Ad Spending by U.S. State in 2026

Where Is Political Ad Money Going in 2026?

Key Takeaways

• California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and Florida account for more than 40% of tracked political and issue advertising spending across the 50 states.

• Spending patterns vary considerably by state, with some showing relatively balanced Democratic- and Republican-aligned activity while others lean heavily toward one party.

• About 71% of tracked spending on Meta and Google comes from advertisers that cannot be reliably linked to either major party.

As the 2026 U.S. midterm elections approach, political campaigns and advocacy groups are spending millions to reach Americans through digital advertising.

This visualization maps political and issue advertising spending on Meta and Google across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., revealing where spending is concentrated and how it breaks down by political affiliation.

The data comes from ScrapeLads, which analyzed spending reported through Meta’s Ad Library and Google’s Political Ads Transparency Report.

Which States Are Seeing the Most Political Ad Spending?

California leads with $123.5 million in tracked spending, followed by Texas at $79.4 million. Together, the two states account for roughly 25% of spending across the 50 states.

The table below ranks states by their total political and issue advertising spending on Meta and Google.

RankStateTotal spending

1California$123,520,385

2Texas$79,428,870

3Ohio$48,598,910

4Michigan$47,902,754

5Florida$42,478,068

6Georgia$36,810,172

7Iowa$29,093,348

8New York$27,200,205

9North Carolina$25,525,700

10Arizona$24,087,528

11Virginia$24,082,561

12Wisconsin$23,971,263

13Illinois$23,814,543

14Pennsylvania$21,227,541

15Maine$15,487,532

16Alaska$15,159,912

17Minnesota$14,884,198

18Colorado$14,499,220

19South Carolina$13,290,935

20Massachusetts$10,857,514

21New Jersey$10,055,777

22Kansas$9,651,503

23Missouri$9,545,487

24Nevada$9,365,603

25Tennessee$9,249,948

26Indiana$8,666,981

27Washington$8,345,713

28Alabama$8,321,175

29Kentucky$7,511,030

30Oregon$7,360,622

31Maryland$7,193,095

32Oklahoma$7,166,115

33New Hampshire$6,929,945

34Nebraska$6,883,958

35Connecticut$6,312,343

36Louisiana$4,956,539

37Montana$4,390,095

38New Mexico$3,761,900

39Utah$3,311,158

40Arkansas$3,100,937

41Mississippi$2,828,274

42District of Columbia$2,623,277

43Idaho$2,510,083

44West Virginia$2,138,921

45Rhode Island$1,926,657

46Hawaii$1,767,880

47Wyoming$1,704,012

48South Dakota$1,703,702

49Delaware$1,652,094

50North Dakota$1,225,230

51Vermont$1,104,000

Ohio ($48.6 million) and Michigan ($47.9 million) follow, while Florida ($42.5 million) and Georgia ($36.8 million) also rank among the largest advertising markets.

However, total spending tells only part of the story. Most of California’s advertising spending is unclassified, while Texas has substantial spending linked to both Democratic- and Republican-aligned advertisers.

Why Is 71% of Political Ad Spending Unclassified?

More than seven out of every 10 dollars in tracked political and issue advertising spending cannot be confidently assigned to either major party.

This does not mean the advertisers are anonymous or that the money is hidden. Instead, the dataset includes many organizations that do not have a verified Democratic or Republican affiliation.

The table below shows how much unclassified advertising spending was recorded in each state.

RankStateUnclassified ad spending

1California$112,880,318

2Texas$46,317,454

3Florida$32,763,236

4Georgia$31,666,032

5Michigan$28,178,516

6Ohio$26,361,801

7Virginia$20,655,789

8Illinois$19,454,696

9New York$19,119,692

10Iowa$16,472,334

11Wisconsin$15,945,537

12Pennsylvania$15,714,594

13North Carolina$13,149,786

14Arizona$12,941,886

15Minnesota$12,729,245

16Colorado$10,683,789

17Missouri$8,464,152

18Nevada$8,338,486

19South Carolina$7,933,888

20Indiana$7,710,378

21Tennessee$7,587,916

22Massachusetts$7,312,806

23New Jersey$7,303,375

24Alabama$7,124,927

25Oregon$6,470,070

26Oklahoma$6,132,094

27Alaska$5,966,809

28Washington$5,673,897

29Maine$5,596,076

30Kentucky$5,471,868

31Connecticut$5,453,286

32Maryland$5,380,131

33Kansas$4,712,823

34Nebraska$4,021,006

35Louisiana$3,731,908

36New Hampshire$2,925,526

37Montana$2,910,565

38New Mexico$2,873,636

39Utah$2,858,004

40Arkansas$2,483,243

41Mississippi$2,325,868

42District of Columbia$2,140,651

43Idaho$2,088,966

44West Virginia$1,653,688

45Rhode Island$1,597,556

46Hawaii$1,512,026

47South Dakota$1,421,528

48Delaware$1,397,896

49Wyoming$1,297,057

50North Dakota$1,092,840

51Vermont$838,766

California stands out with $112.9 million in unclassified spending, more than twice Texas’s $46.3 million. Georgia also has a high proportion of unclassified spending, accounting for roughly 86% of its $36.8 million total.

To classify advertisers, ScrapeLads matched their names against Federal Election Commission records, using candidate affiliations, party committees, and independent expenditures. For the independent expenditure category, advertisers needed at least $25,000 in expenditures, with 85% or more supporting one party’s candidates or opposing the other’s.

The unclassified category includes companies, issue advocacy groups, ballot measure campaigns, and some state and local candidates. Some of these advertisers may support candidates or political causes without meeting the study’s criteria for a Democratic or Republican classification.

Where Are Democratic and Republican Advertisers Spending?

Looking specifically at advertisers with identified party affiliations reveals a different picture from the overall spending totals.

Texas has the highest identified spending for both parties, with approximately $15.8 million from Democratic-aligned advertisers and $17.3 million from Republican-aligned advertisers.

The table below compares Democratic- and Republican-aligned advertising spending by state.

StateDemocratic-alignedRepublican-aligned

Alabama$399,884$796,364

Alaska$5,795,801$3,397,302

Arizona$7,036,241$4,109,401

Arkansas$337,249$280,445

California$8,670,697$1,969,370

Colorado$2,394,628$1,420,803

Connecticut$745,092$113,965

Delaware$211,855$42,343

District of Columbia$412,819$69,807

Florida$4,377,842$5,336,990

Georgia$3,611,512$1,532,628

Hawaii$215,065$40,789

Idaho$169,067$252,050

Illinois$3,448,437$911,410

Indiana$582,692$373,911

Iowa$5,473,042$7,147,972

Kansas$4,403,889$534,791

Kentucky$1,411,945$627,217

Louisiana$374,592$850,039

Maine$4,949,923$4,941,533

Maryland$1,641,964$171,000

Massachusetts$3,058,018$486,690

Michigan$10,237,653$9,486,585

Minnesota$1,657,449$497,504

Mississippi$327,699$174,707

Missouri$820,494$260,841

Montana$809,589$669,941

Nebraska$1,398,115$1,464,837

Nevada$440,506$586,611

New Hampshire$2,450,608$1,553,811

New Jersey$2,057,944$694,458

New Mexico$422,714$465,550

New York$6,180,682$1,899,831

North Carolina$6,076,709$6,299,205

North Dakota$73,470$58,920

Ohio$6,249,485$15,987,624

Oklahoma$246,678$787,343

Oregon$753,380$137,172

Pennsylvania$2,390,563$3,122,384

Rhode Island$275,932$53,169

South Carolina$3,329,951$2,027,096

South Dakota$109,573$172,601

Tennessee$814,328$847,704

Texas$15,776,036$17,335,380

Utah$323,195$129,959

Vermont$219,091$46,143

Virginia$2,346,868$1,079,904

Washington$1,548,335$1,123,481

West Virginia$164,465$320,768

Wisconsin$1,251,307$6,774,419

Wyoming$110,274$296,681

Ohio shows a more pronounced difference. Republican-aligned advertisers spent approximately $16.0 million, more than double the $6.2 million recorded for Democratic-aligned advertisers.

Other states show different patterns. Michigan’s identified spending is relatively balanced, at $10.2 million Democratic-aligned and $9.5 million Republican-aligned. Wisconsin, meanwhile, has $6.8 million in identified Republican-aligned spending compared with $1.3 million Democratic-aligned.

These figures do not necessarily represent all advertising supporting either party, because some politically aligned organizations remain unclassified.

What Do the Numbers Reveal About the Midterms?

Several states that were closely contested in the 2024 presidential election are seeing substantial digital advertising spending ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Among these states, Michigan leads with $47.9 million in tracked spending, followed by Georgia ($36.8 million), North Carolina ($25.5 million), Arizona ($24.1 million), and Wisconsin ($24.0 million).

Pennsylvania has $21.2 million, while Nevada has $9.4 million.

These totals include advertising by candidate campaigns, political organizations, and groups promoting specific issues or ballot measures. An advertisement about immigration, health care, or energy policy, for example, may contribute to the political debate without explicitly endorsing a candidate.

As a result, these figures reflect the broader political advertising landscape, not just ads directly supporting or opposing candidates in the midterms.

Advertising spending is only one part of the midterm election picture. Voter participation also varies considerably across age groups, as shown in our visualization of midterm voter turnout by age.

How Much Political Advertising Does the Data Capture?

The dataset covers political and issue advertising on Meta and Google, rather than all campaign spending.

Meta’s data covers July 20 through October 17, 2026. Google’s state-level data covers January 1 through October 17, 2026, but represents approximately 63% of Google’s reported spending during that period.

The dataset therefore excludes some advertising outside these reporting windows, as well as political advertising on other platforms and traditional media such as television and radio.

Explore Political Ad Spending in Every State

The complete table below includes total spending and the breakdown by Democratic-aligned, Republican-aligned, and unclassified advertisers for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Use the table to compare states and see how the composition of political advertising spending varies across the country.

StateTotal spendingDemocratic-alignedRepublican-alignedUnclassified

California$123,520,385$8,670,697$1,969,370$112,880,318

Texas$79,428,870$15,776,036$17,335,380$46,317,454

Ohio$48,598,910$6,249,485$15,987,624$26,361,801

Michigan$47,902,754$10,237,653$9,486,585$28,178,516

Florida$42,478,068$4,377,842$5,336,990$32,763,236

Georgia$36,810,172$3,611,512$1,532,628$31,666,032

Iowa$29,093,348$5,473,042$7,147,972$16,472,334

New York$27,200,205$6,180,682$1,899,831$19,119,692

North Carolina$25,525,700$6,076,709$6,299,205$13,149,786

Arizona$24,087,528$7,036,241$4,109,401$12,941,886

Virginia$24,082,561$2,346,868$1,079,904$20,655,789

Wisconsin$23,971,263$1,251,307$6,774,419$15,945,537

Illinois$23,814,543$3,448,437$911,410$19,454,696

Pennsylvania$21,227,541$2,390,563$3,122,384$15,714,594

Maine$15,487,532$4,949,923$4,941,533$5,596,076

Alaska$15,159,912$5,795,801$3,397,302$5,966,809

Minnesota$14,884,198$1,657,449$497,504$12,729,245

Colorado$14,499,220$2,394,628$1,420,803$10,683,789

South Carolina$13,290,935$3,329,951$2,027,096$7,933,888

Massachusetts$10,857,514$3,058,018$486,690$7,312,806

New Jersey$10,055,777$2,057,944$694,458$7,303,375

Kansas$9,651,503$4,403,889$534,791$4,712,823

Missouri$9,545,487$820,494$260,841$8,464,152

Nevada$9,365,603$440,506$586,611$8,338,486

Tennessee$9,249,948$814,328$847,704$7,587,916

Indiana$8,666,981$582,692$373,911$7,710,378

Washington$8,345,713$1,548,335$1,123,481$5,673,897

Alabama$8,321,175$399,884$796,364$7,124,927

Kentucky$7,511,030$1,411,945$627,217$5,471,868

Oregon$7,360,622$753,380$137,172$6,470,070

Maryland$7,193,095$1,641,964$171,000$5,380,131

Oklahoma$7,166,115$246,678$787,343$6,132,094

New Hampshire$6,929,945$2,450,608$1,553,811$2,925,526

Nebraska$6,883,958$1,398,115$1,464,837$4,021,006

Connecticut$6,312,343$745,092$113,965$5,453,286

Louisiana$4,956,539$374,592$850,039$3,731,908

Montana$4,390,095$809,589$669,941$2,910,565

New Mexico$3,761,900$422,714$465,550$2,873,636

Utah$3,311,158$323,195$129,959$2,858,004

Arkansas$3,100,937$337,249$280,445$2,483,243

Mississippi$2,828,274$327,699$174,707$2,325,868

District of Columbia$2,623,277$412,819$69,807$2,140,651

Idaho$2,510,083$169,067$252,050$2,088,966

West Virginia$2,138,921$164,465$320,768$1,653,688

Rhode Island$1,926,657$275,932$53,169$1,597,556

Hawaii$1,767,880$215,065$40,789$1,512,026

Wyoming$1,704,012$110,274$296,681$1,297,057

South Dakota$1,703,702$109,573$172,601$1,421,528

Delaware$1,652,094$211,855$42,343$1,397,896

North Dakota$1,225,230$73,470$58,920$1,092,840

Vermont$1,104,000$219,091$46,143$838,766

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