# US midterms set to attract record $11.9bn in campaign spending

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/us-midterms-campaign-shattering-spending-records-to-be-most-expensive-ever/
- Published: 2026-11-02T20:54:44+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-02T21:12:18+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC World (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqkgk64z7p58o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Politics, World

## Key points

- Midterm spending is projected to reach $11.9bn.
- Super PACs account for about $5.5bn spent so far.
- Elon Musk has donated almost $500m, mostly backing Republicans.

## Summary

The 2026 US midterms are on course to be the most expensive midterm election campaign on record, with projected spending of $11.9bn. Much of the money is being channelled through outside groups, which can raise unlimited contributions and spend indirectly to support candidates, intensifying the role of wealthy donors in closely contested races.

Federal filings showed more than $9.5bn had been spent by mid-October, including about $5.5bn by political action committees and Super PACs. The top 40 donors had contributed $2.4bn by 14 October, while Elon Musk had given almost $500m, much of it supporting Republicans and the Texas Senate race; the projected total is around 30% above 2022’s midterm spending.

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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.