# The Six Wild Campaign Ads Definitely Not Destined for the Paley Center

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-six-wild-campaign-ads-definitely-not-destined-for-the-paley-center/
- Published: 2026-11-03T20:25:43+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T23:45:27+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hollywood Reporter
- Original article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/james-talarico-paxton-blackburn-campaign-ad-spending-watch-1236747002/
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Entertainment, Offbeat, Politics, TV, Weird & Viral, World

## Key points

- US campaign advertising spending reached a record $11.6 billion.
- Some adverts used stunts involving guns, fortune cookies and basketball.
- The article questions whether the spending produced anything culturally valuable.

## Summary

Campaign adverts for the 2026 US midterm elections have cost a record $11.6 billion, prompting a tongue-in-cheek look at some of the cycle’s stranger political spots. The article argues that the spending produced little meaningful cultural output, but left behind a handful of memorable adverts that reveal how candidates tried to attract attention.

Examples include North Carolina candidate Jennifer Balkcom recalling her mother shooting a home intruder, and Tennessee governor candidate Marsha Blackburn smashing fortune cookies while warning about Chinese land purchases. The article says foreign countries own more than 2.4% of Tennessee land, but China ranks ninth among those countries, with Canada owning more. It also mentions a campaign video featuring Barack Obama playing basketball with Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.