Democratic Candidates Spend More Than $163 Million on Ads Mentioning Trump
President Donald Trump has expressed a desire for the midterm elections to revolve around him, and Democratic candidates are actively featuring him in their advertising, having spent over $163 million on ads mentioning the president since September 1.
Burlington Plattsburgh, VT, October 16, 2026 —
Democratic candidates have spent more than $163 million on advertisements mentioning President Donald Trump since September 1, according to the trend summary. The summary also says Trump has expressed a desire for the midterm elections to revolve around him.
The spending figure describes ads that mention the president; the information provided does not say whether those advertisements support or criticize him. It also does not identify the candidates, the states or races involved, or how the total is divided among campaigns.
The year associated with September 1 was not provided. No source or methodology for the spending figure was identified, and the summary does not specify whether the amount includes only paid advertisements or how the ads were distributed across media.
The figures indicate that Trump is a prominent subject in Democratic candidates’ advertising, while his stated desire places him at the center of the midterm-election discussion. The information available does not establish how voters have responded, whether the advertising has affected campaign outcomes, or what role the spending may play in the elections.
Further details about the campaigns, the period covered and the calculation behind the total were not provided. The available summary offers no additional information about the content of the advertisements or the candidates’ reasons for featuring Trump.
Story summarized from the original created by JILL COLVIN and AARON KESSLER, Associated Press on www.mychamplainvalley.com, see more information here.
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