NY’s top 5 most expensive House races include a whopping $308M in total spending

New York’s five most expensive House races attracted a combined $308 million in spending during the 2026 midterm campaign, with the 17th District alone accounting for $64 million. The figures show how heavily campaigns and outside groups invested in closely contested seats and high-profile primaries across the state.

In the Hudson Valley, Democrat Cait Conley defeated incumbent Mike Lawler after about $22 million was spent in the Democratic primary and outside groups contributed $30 million to the race. Manhattan’s 12th District race drew $56 million, much of it from super PACs backed by AI interests; other costly contests included the 21st District at third place, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s uncompetitive 14th District at $26 million, and the 3rd District at $20 million. The 17th District total exceeded the previous record cited in the article: $38.4 million in New York’s 19th District in 2024.