MADISON, Wis. (Sept. 3, 2025) – Political ad spending is on the rise nationwide—and insiders say Wisconsin is poised for a record-breaking year.

AdImpact, a firm that studies campaign ads, predicts that political ad spending for the 2026 midterm elections will hit $10.8 billion. That would be the highest ever for a midterm year. Last time, in 2022, they estimated $10.7 billion, which ended up close to the real total.

Locally, Wisconsin has already seen big ad spending in recent years. In 2023, the Supreme Court race drew about $40.1 million just for advertising. In 2024, ads for presidential, House, and Senate races added up to $470 million.

This year’s Supreme Court contest smashed that amount. By March 26, $67.1 million in ads had already aired. That’s $27 million more than the 2023 race at the same point. Democrats spent about $31.1 million, and Republicans $26.4 million, with both sides holding nearly even reservations for the final week.

Why It Matters for Wisconsin

Wisconsin has seen a steady climb in political ad dollars. In just a few years, spending in state races went from millions to tens of millions. The Supreme Court races alone went from $40 million in 2023 to over $100 million total in 2025, making it the most expensive court election in U.S. history.

Even governor races cost big bucks. The 2018 battle between Scott Walker and Tony Evers pushed total spending past $90 million, far more than the $37 million spent in 2010. Evers’ race to hold his seat against Republican Tim Michels four years later shattered that record, with more than $160 million spent by candidates and outside groups in 2022.

Now, with national forecasts projecting even more money to flow into campaigns, Wisconsin’s state races could get even pricier. As AdImpact points out, their predictions have been so close before that strategists trust them.

Wisconsin Political Ad Spending Overview

  • 2018: More than $90 million spent in the gubernatorial race between Scott Walker and Tony Evers.
  • 2022: More than $300 million spent on ads tied to statewide and federal races, including governor, Senate, and House contests.
  • 2023: Wisconsin Supreme Court race drew around $40.1 million in advertising.
  • 2024: Total ad spending for the presidential, Senate, and House races in Wisconsin reached roughly $470 million.
  • 2025: The Wisconsin Supreme Court race surpassed $100 million in ad spending, setting a new national record for a judicial election.
  • 2026 (projected): Wisconsin expected to again be a top-tier battleground in a midterm cycle where $10.8 billion is forecast nationally. Analysts predict the state will draw more than a quarter billion dollars in ad buys for Senate, House, and legislative races.

Given that, Wisconsin voters should expect a flood of ads next year—from TV to digital—to influence many important races.