The total bill for advertising spending in the 2024 US elections reached almost US$11 billion, according to a report by NBC Newsciting data from AdImpact, a company that tracks spending on political ads. The amount represents a new record and a substantial increase compared to the US$9 billion spent by campaigns in 2020.
Most of the spending came from the presidential race, where Democrats outspent Republicans despite losing the campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has spent more than $880 million since the start of 2023 — this includes spending when President Joe Biden was still at the top of the Democratic ticket — as well as joint fundraising committees and the Democratic National Committee ).
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Already, President-elect Donald Trump’s political operation, including his own campaign, the party’s national level and affiliated joint fundraising committees, has spent about $425 million on ads.
Overall, the Democratic campaign and pro-Democratic outside groups spent nearly $1.8 billion, while the Trump campaign and pro-Republican outside groups spent $1.4 billion.
The Senate campaign, which will be controlled by Republicans early next year, has attracted about $2.6 billion in spending — $1.4 billion from Democratic candidates and outside groups and $1.2 billion from candidates Republicans and their groups.
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The Ohio Senate race, won by Republican Bernie Moreno, was the most expensive in advertising spending, reaching an additional $538 million spent between campaigns and outside groups.
The races for the House of Representatives consumed US$1.7 billion in advertising spending – US$940 million from Democrats and US$760 million from Republicans.
All other election races, including ballot issues and constitutional amendments, state legislative races, attracted $2.9 billion in spending. Florida’s ballot amendment on marijuana legalization (which failed) featured more than $122 million in advertising spending, more than any other election race.
