10 most expensive midterm races: Where is all the money going?

The midterm elections are mobilizing hundreds of millions of dollars. Candidates and spending groups are investing heavily with fewer than 50 days to go before Nov. 3, when the Senate, the House of Representatives and 36 governorships will be up for grabs.

However, the money is not being distributed evenly. A handful of races account for a large portion of advertising spending, and some have already reached nine-figure sums.

An analysis by The Washington Post based on data from the advertising tracking firm AdImpact shows which 10 races have attracted the most advertising spending so far during the 2026 election cycle

10. Texas gubernatorial election

Tenth place goes to the race for governor of Texas, where incumbent Republican Greg Abbott is facing off against Democrat and state representative Gina Hinojosa.

According to AdImpact data, as of Sept. 22, more than $42 million had been spent in the race. The Democrats will try to make the dream of a "Blue Texas" a reality, while Abbott will seek his fourth consecutive term. The last time a Democrat was elected governor of the Lone Star State was in 1990, when Ann Richards won the election.

9. Georgia gubernatorial election

The race for governor of Georgia ranks ninth, with $54 million in advertising spending. The race pits Republican Rick Jackson against Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta.

This is an open race, as the incumbent Brian Kemp cannot seek a third consecutive term. Jackson, a billionaire businessman from humble beginnings, surprisingly won the Republican nomination after defeating Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who had been endorsed by Kemp and President Donald Trump, the two most popular political figures among the state's Republicans. For his part, Lance Bottoms secured the Democratic nomination without needing a runoff.

After coming close to winning in 2018, Democrats will seek to win their first Georgia gubernatorial election since 1998.

8. Senate election in Iowa

The eighth spot goes to the Iowa Senate race, which has already racked up $75 million in advertising.

In another open race, Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson is facing off against Democrat Josh Turek, a state representative. Although Iowa is considered a solidly Republican state — for example, Trump won it in 2024 by a margin of more than 13 points — the Democrats are investing heavily to secure a victory that would allow them to regain a majority in the Senate.

7. Senate election in Michigan

The race for the U.S. Senate in Michigan ranks seventh, with $77 million spent .

Michigan is seen as the Republicans' best chance to take a Senate seat away from the Democrats. Following Gary Peters' retirement, the Democrats nominated Abdul El-Sayed, who is associated with the party's most progressive wing, while the Republicans nominated former congressman Mike Rogers.

According to Republicans, El-Sayed's previous positions and statements, as well as his political ties to Hasan Piker, have made the Democrat one of the main targets of the Republican campaign. Piker, who campaigned alongside El-Sayed during the primaries, came under heavy fire for saying in 2019 that the United States "deserved" 9/11, a statement he later retracted. El-Sayed has distanced himself from Piker's remarks on the matter.

6. Georgia Senate election

With $79 million, the Georgia Senate race ranks sixth on the list.

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is seeking reelection against Republican Mike Collins, a Georgia congressman. Collins secured the Republican nomination after defeating Derek Dooley in a runoff, a contest that pitted Governor Kemp against President Trump.

Several political analysts consider Ossoff to be one of the names to watch ahead of the 2028 presidential election, so the outcome could make or break his chances in the Democratic primaries.

5. North Carolina Senate election

The fifth-most-expensive race in the midterms is the Senate race in North Carolina, with $82 million spent on advertising.

In another open race following the retirement of incumbent Republican Thom Tillis, President Trump endorsed Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, who easily won the Republican primary. His opponent will be the popular former Democratic governor Roy Cooper, who was recruited by Senate Democratic leadership and has led in all polls published in recent months.

4. Ohio gubernatorial election

Fourth place goes to the race for the governorship of Ohio, where $83 million has been spent.

Businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is facing off against Democrat Amy Acton. This is another wide-open race, since Republican Mike DeWine cannot seek a third consecutive term.

Although DeWine won reelection in 2022 by a margin of 25 percentage points, the polls predict a competitive race. Democrats are seeking to regain the governorship after nearly two decades out of power. Ohio's last Democratic governor was Ted Strickland, who served from 2007-11.

3. Maine Senate election

The lineup begins with the Senate race in Maine, where $110 million has already been spent on advertising.

There, Republican Susan Collins will seek a sixth term in the Senate. She will face Troy Jackson, who became the Democratic nominee following the withdrawal of Graham Platner, who dropped out of the race in July. Jackson spent many years in the Maine Legislature and served as president of the state Senate. The Democrat represents the party's most progressive wing, and his proposals include "Medicare for All" and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

2. Texas Senate election

Second place goes to the Texas Senate race, with $140 million spent on advertising.

Republican Ken Paxton, Texas' attorney general, is facing off against Democrat James Talarico, a state representative. The race has received a massive amount of money from outside groups, in addition to the candidates' own campaigns. In recent days, organizations linked to President Trump have further intensified their advertising spending against Talarico to boost Paxton.

In the Republican primary, Paxton challenged and defeated the incumbent John Cornyn, who was seeking a fifth term. Thanks to President Trump's endorsement, the Texas attorney general won a runoff election with 63% of the vote.

Meanwhile, in the Democratic primary, Talarico defeated congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.

Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, but the scale of spending reflects the national importance both parties attach to the race.

1. Ohio Senate Election

The most expensive race in the midterm elections is the Ohio Senate race, with $197 million spent on advertising as of Sept. 22.

In Ohio, incumbent Jon Husted will seek his first full term in the Senate. In 2025, the then-lieutenant governor was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to replace JD Vance after Vance took office as vice president. The Republican will face off against Sherrod Brown, the former senator and the Democrats' "star recruit" for this race.

Brown represented Ohio in the Senate from 2007-25. He lost his last reelection bid in 2024 to Republican Bernie Moreno and will now seek to return to the Capitol amid the possibility of a "blue wave." The winner will serve out the remainder of Vance's term until January 2029.

The major players behind the ads

Super PACs, outside groups and candidates are spending tens of millions of dollars to influence key races. For outside groups, the reference in parentheses indicates the party or candidate their ads support, not necessarily the source of the funds.