Democrats pour $163 million into ads mentioning Trump as he urges voters to pretend he's on the ballot
Donald Trump has asked voters to act as if he were on the midterm ballot, while Democratic candidates have spent over $163 million on TV ads that reference him.
Trump urged the electorate to imagine his name appearing on the upcoming midterm ballot. Since September 1, Democratic candidates and allies have invested more than $163 million in television advertising that mentions the president, according to an analysis of AdImpact data. Those ads have aired nearly 180,000 times across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. In contrast, Republican ads that mention Trump have been broadcast about 16,000 times in the same period.
Why it matters
The spending gap shows how both parties are leveraging Trump’s influence to sway midterm voters.
How this story developed
- Oct 2 Georgia Senate showdown erupts over tariffs, Iran war and personal scandal accusations
- Oct 2 State leaders are voicing divergent positions on AI oversight and the growth of data centers as voters head to the polls on November 3.
- Oct 8 A Ratepayer Protection Act was introduced to require developers to cover power and water costs.
- Oct 12 Collins publicly accused Ossoff of using Georgia to launch a 2028 presidential bid.
- Oct 14 Governors have publicly outlined differing AI safety and data‑center strategies ahead of the November 3 midterms.
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