Republican midterm ads lack something
The gist
Less than $1 of every $100 in Republican TV ad spending on House and Senate races mentioned Trump.
Democrats are tying Republicans to an unpopular president while the GOP keeps its distance.
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2026Start of the period in which Democratic candidates and allies spent more than $163 million on TV ads mentioning Trump, per an AP analysis of AdImpact data.
- Sep 9, 2026Start of the period in which less than $1 of every $100 in Republican TV ad spending on House and Senate races went to ads mentioning "Trump," per an NYT analysis of AdImpact data.
- Oct 14, 2026CNN reported Trump was leaning into racism and bigotry ahead of the midterms; his approval rating was 33% in the latest CNN poll of polls.