Candidate and Interest Group Ad Volume, Spending Up Dramatically Over 2008; Party Spending Down; IGs Spending Over $100 Million in Federal & Gov Races
(MIDDLETOWN, CT –) As of Sept. 15, an estimated $220 million has been spent on political advertising in races for Congress, greatly exceeding the roughly $135 million spent in U.S. House and Senate elections at this point in 2008. In the first election cycle following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Citizens United v. FEC, the airwaves are being saturated with more House and Senate advertising, up 20 percent and 79 percent respectively in total airings. The increase in spending is driven primarily by a surge in spending on U.S. Senate seats, which more than doubled compared to 2008. House spending is similar to 2008 due to increased airings in cheaper markets.
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