Democrats outpace GOP in US midterm political spending
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Michelle Clancy
| 01 November 2018

The 2018 midterm elections loom in the US next week, and candidate advertising spending is spiking with new research showing that Democrats have outspent Republicans in local broadcast markets by more than $9.9 million.

Total Democratic local TV spend for the general election is 4% greater than GOP opponents’ campaigning in ten states with toss up Senate races, whose 6 November results dictate control of the upper chamber.

Individual senatorial candidates in states with the most competitive Senate elections include Beto O’Rourke (D) in Texas, and Heidi Heitkamp (D) in North Dakota.

The findings come from Matrix Solutions’ 2018 Midterms Political Ad Spend Map, derived from the activity of 166 political advertising accounts facilitated by Matrix’s global ad sales platform, Monarch.

“Our data shows the value each candidate places in broadcast as an ad channel in their campaign to win their state’s open Senate seat,” said Mark Gorman, CEO at Matrix Solutions . “Local TV is a key medium for politicians hoping to sway undecided voters who possess the ability to support their campaign, and to overall encourage voter turnout on election day. Both Democratic and Republican senatorial candidates are counting on this election to secure their party’s influence in the Senate and a strong local broadcast footprint will bolster these efforts.”