The Political Ad Money Machine: Why 2026 Could Be Bigger Than A Presidential Election

Political advertising has long been a crucial revenue source for local media. But according to AdImpact's Updated Political Projections Report, the 2026 midterms are now on track to generate even more ad spending than the 2024 presidential election cycle. On this episode of In the Vicinity, Tim Hanlon sits down with AdImpact CEO Kyle Roberts to unpack the report's findings, including why political ad spending projections have been revised upward, which races and states are driving the surge, and why local broadcasters remain the biggest beneficiaries. The conversation explores the mechanics of modern political media buying, the growing role of CTV and audience targeting, the challenges of reaching voters in highly fragmented districts, and why campaigns continue to invest billions in both broad-reach and precision-targeted advertising.