Political advertising is already heating up, and the 2026 midterm cycle is projected to drive more than $10 billion in media spend—nearly double the last midterm cycle. But by the time political dollars appear in publicly available filing registries, much of the opportunity has already moved. Campaigns and buying firms are making strategic budget decisions earlier than ever, driving demand across local TV, radio, CTV, digital, and out-of-home markets. As political spend accelerates, media organizations need earlier visibility into where budgets are shifting, which markets are heating up, and how to price inventory more confidently. Political intelligence is becoming a critical advantage for media sellers looking to win more business and capture a larger share of the biggest midterm spend on record.
