Senate candidate Ken Paxton was outspent on the air in Texas, first in a bruising primary, then as Democratic nominee James Talarico spent millions of dollars to introduce himself to voters. That all changed this month with a massive money bomb from Republican super PACs and dark money groups, including President Trump's MAGA Inc. and Texas PAC, which is aligned with Senate Republicans. All told, pro-Paxton ad reservations for the month of September add up to more than $94 million, enough to swamp the roughly $20 million supporting Talarico in the same timeframe.
According to the tracking firm AdImpact, that GOP total for September seeking to boost the scandal-plagued Paxton is more than Democrats have spent the entire cycle on ads in Texas. Last week at the Republican convention in Dallas, Paxton, the state's attorney general, made no secret of the fact that he needed backup. "He is the most radical Democrat in Texas history, but he's also the most well funded," Paxton said about Talarico, in an address to convention-goers.
"Which is why today I need your prayers, your votes and your support." Talarico, a state representative, has been able to raise blockbuster sums for his campaign through viral television appearances and fundraising appeals. As of the most recent campaign finance deadline at the end of June, the Democrat had 12 times more cash on hand than Paxton. But that advantage is easily overwhelmed by super PACs and dark money groups that can raise unlimited funds and since Labor Day have swooped in to boost Republicans all over the country.
When it comes to ad spending, Republicans now have a significant advantage heading into the closing weeks of the 2026 midterms. According to an NPR analysis of AdImpact data, Republican candidates and groups have pledged to spend more than $557 million to Democrats' $343 million in the nine most competitive Senate races this fall. Republican reservations outpace Democrats in all but one of those contests (Georgia).
That advantage stretches further once House elections are factored in. "Look across the battleground Senate states, look at the House districts, the cavalry has come," said Scott Jennings, a longtime Republican strategist. "Now, the Republicans have enough money to make an actual argument, to draw a real contrast, to have a real debate.
And in some of these districts, in some of these states, it's going to make a difference." The cavalry has arrived in the form of more than $150 million in initial ad reservations in the last two weeks from MAGA Inc. and two new Trump-aligned groups: No Going Back PAC and Safety and Affordability PAC. TV ads, streaming ads, digital ads and a chance to bloody up Democratic candidates, in both Senate and House races. "Some of these ads are going to be ugly and it's going to be a pretty negative campaign, but that's the nature of a midterm when you've got an environment like the one that the Republicans are facing," said Jennings, referencing headwinds the GOP faces this election.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
