Local media sellers have a substantial opportunity to capture the revenue windfall from the 2026 midterm election. Political advertising is fueling growth for radio stations. AdImpact projects total political ad spending will hit $10.8 billion this cycle, a 20%-plus increase over the 2022 midterms and the most expensive non-presidential cycle in U.S. history. BIA Advisory Services projects $8.4 billion of that will land in local markets, benefiting broadcast TV, cable, CTV/OTT, radio, and direct mail. This money will come from local, state, and national candidates, parties, and PACs (political action committees). If you sell digital and linear, you are in the perfect position to offer these advertisers a multi-tactic campaign that engages voters and gets them to the polls.
Let’s review all the possibilities for the 2026 election cycle.
Radio Will See Spending and Should Get More of the Pie
Radio’s reach is unlike that of any other medium. It’s also a trusted media with community roots and decades of credibility. BIA’s revised 2026 forecast puts over-the-air radio at $10.08 billion and radio digital at $2.38 billion, with political spending providing the tailwind across the midterm cycle.
The newest data makes the case even stronger. Nielsen’s Audio Today 2026 report found radio reaches 93% of U.S. adults each month, more than smartphones (89%), connected TV devices (85%), or live and time-shifted TV (84%). Even among the hard-to-reach 18-34 audience, radio reaches 89%. Edison Research’s Q4 2025 Share of Ear data shows AM/FM commands 64% of all ad-supported audio time among registered voters 18-plus, with consistent 62% to 65% shares across Independents, Republicans, and Democrats. A three-point spread across parties makes radio one of the most consistently nonpartisan reach vehicles available.
Make sure buyers know this to ensure they are moving budgets from other traditional channels to radio. Also, keep in mind that the FCC’s rules about rates for “legally qualified candidates” don’t apply to PACs, though the Media Bureau clarified this spring that LUC obligations now extend to certain joint fundraising committees and coordinated party expenditures. These groups have deep pockets and want to reach all those who faithfully listen to your stations daily.
Pair Radio with Digital Political Advertising
Radio offers a foundation of reach. When you combine it with digital, ads perform better, and you expand revenue. Here are tactics and targeting options.
Digital targeting includes demographics, geography, interests and behaviors. Those apply to multiple tactics.
Targeted Display
Candidates, parties and PACs can get their message in front of the right audience with a variety of targeting options that serve on high-quality inventory. These can be static or video and can drive audiences to candidates’ websites to see information about their policies and voting.
Pre-Roll Video
Pre-roll video ads have targeting capabilities related to geography, behaviors and interests. With relevant content that shows the candidate and their values, these ads drive viewers to donate, support and vote for them. How effective can they be? Ad recall for pre-roll is significantly greater, and people consider the ads less interruptive than other video ad types.
Geofencing and Video Geofencing
Geofencing allows political advertisers to target people within geographic fences through their mobile devices. You can set up multiple fences that align with specific areas where potential voters spend time. Users in these areas could see ads for candidates and PACs.
It’s a valuable tactic, and mobile ads with geofencing have double the click-through rate of those without it. These targeted ads can deliver high performance that will excite political media buyers.
OTT and CTV
OTT/CTV continues to be one of the fastest-growing tactics in political. AdImpact projects political CTV spend will hit $2.48 billion in 2026, a 20% increase over 2024, and it is the only media channel expected to grow versus the last presidential cycle. With more than 60% of U.S. households using streaming as their primary TV source, broadcast TV alone won’t deliver the audience candidates need.
OTT and CTV also offer targeting options that political advertisers want: behaviors and interests, ZIP codes, states, and DMAs (designated market areas). OTT can also target household demographics. Buyers can use the same creative from TV commercials, enabling them to track the ad’s impact with metrics. Worth noting: CTV inventory in battleground markets is already constrained, with CPMs running at roughly double standard platform averages, which makes a radio/CTV pairing more efficient than CTV alone.
Social Media Ads
Political advertising on social media has been a critical component of digital marketing strategies. Voters from all sides of the political spectrum use it. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat offer targeting options to help you identify voters with whom your message will resonate.
More than half of U.S. social media users get news from these websites. This can mean they are more likely to be looking for election information versus just using social media for entertainment.
There are rules about the content for some platforms. If you’re using a third-party digital platform, you can get guidance on this.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is essential to any candidate’s digital advertising efforts. As a “logged-in” channel, the inbox gets a person’s full attention, so it’s an ideal spot to engage constituents to spread messages, drive donations and get them to vote.
Political emails have an average open rate of 36.1% and a click rate of 2.6%. By using an email marketing solution like ours, you can offer a 100% bot-free guarantee and email-only delivery.
More Reasons You Can Win the Political Advertising Race
Use these points to state your case and make sure political advertisers see your value:
- You’re a local media partner who’s helped local and regional candidates execute and launch high-performing digital campaigns.
- The solutions you offer scale across the voter journey with ad types that create awareness and action.
- You can launch campaigns within days.
- They can buy digital and linear ads from a single media company to simplify the process.
- You and your third-party digital partner will ensure that ads comply with local and federal regulations.
- Advertisers can be confident that their ads will only appear on premium websites and channels.
- You can assist with creative services for email, rich media display ads and video.
You’re the complete package for political advertisers, and we’re the backbone for supporting the back end of proposing, ordering, executing and reporting.
Get more insights by visiting our political advertising toolbox.
