AI political ads surge to $137 million in 2026 midterms, Republicans lead spending

Campaigns and political action committees have spent more than $137 million on AI-generated or AI-enhanced advertisements during the 2026 midterm election cycle. The figure marks a sharp increase from less than $50,000 in AI ad spending recorded for the entire 2024 cycle, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.

Republican candidates and groups are responsible for the overwhelming majority of the spending. Their ads account for 88 percent of the total, or roughly $120 million.

“I don’t have to use AI, because the truth about Ken Paxton is bad enough.”

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has become a central example of the trend. A recent campaign ad shows him walking through a warehouse filled with television sets that broadcast Republican attack ads portraying him as a Bible-defacing radical who supports sex change surgery for minors.

Talarico directly rejects the AI-generated attacks in his own spot. He tells viewers he is not a member of the Chinese Communist Party and does not support sex change surgeries for children, adding that he does not need AI because the truth about Republican nominee Ken Paxton is already damaging enough.

Democrats are largely avoiding AI-generated ads and are trying to use the issue against Republicans. Strategists say voter concerns about affordability, corporate power, and political authenticity matter more than any advantage the GOP might gain from synthetic video.

Deepfake expert Hany Farid of UC Berkeley warned that most viewers would not immediately recognize fabricated clips. He noted that AI disclosure tags are often small and faint, leaving many voters unable to distinguish real content from fakes.

The Wesleyan Media Project has cataloged many AI ads that are harmless or cosmetic, such as an animated photo of an Oklahoma candidate. However, experts fear the volume of deepfakes will grow unless action is taken before November 3.