National Republican groups are making massive late investments in Senate races in traditionally safe states like Texas and Kansas as new polling shows Democrats competitive. GOP operatives express concern about defending seats once considered secure.
The Trump administration began airing a campaign-style television ad on Fox News and other networks promoting the president and warning against communism, with a disclaimer stating it was 'Paid for by the U.S. Government.' Democrats and some Republicans criticized the ad as potentially illegal government propaganda.
ProPublica reports the FBI was investigating Senator Susan Collins over alleged pay-to-play campaign finance violations involving a defense contractor, but the probe was abandoned after Trump's inauguration in 2025.
Two Trump-backed super PACs have reserved over $150 million in advertising, primarily targeting deep red House and Senate races that have become unexpectedly competitive. The spending surge comes as Republicans show signs of panic with just weeks until Election Day, with races like Ohio's Senate contest requiring millions in emergency funding.
Democratic candidates are navigating conflicting pressures as advisers warn against alienating tech super PACs over AI regulation, while rural swing-state Democrats face attacks over their party's opposition to the GOP Farm Bill. Senate Democrats are simultaneously working to protect food assistance programs.
Super PACs aligned with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are pouring tens of millions of dollars into battleground races ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. MAGA Inc. and related groups have reported roughly $21 million in spending across key Senate and House races as Republicans face typical midterm headwinds for the party controlling the White House.
Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, leading right-wing challenger in next month's presidential election, is under Supreme Court investigation for allegedly receiving $12 million from disgraced banker linked to Banco Master fraud to finance a movie about his father.
President Trump's super PAC MAGA Inc. has made a $10 million ad buy to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate campaign, marking the PAC's entry into the 2026 midterm elections. The spending comes after polls showed Paxton trailing his Democratic opponent.
The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way for political parties to buy television advertisements at special reduced rates in the lead-up to the midterm elections, granting an emergency appeal from Republicans. The decision potentially hands a near-term win to the GOP.
Democrats are expanding their competitive map in the 2026 Senate midterms, with forecasts showing them leading in nine of twelve competitive races. Republicans face challenges from Trump's slipping approval ratings and Elon Musk's controversial campaign spending on divisive issues.
Elon Musk's America PAC disclosed its first spending on behalf of Republican candidates, providing roughly $800,000 to help congressional contenders across several states including Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton. The super PAC unleashed $260 million in 2024.
President Donald Trump has authorized pouring millions of dollars from his personal PAC toward supporting vulnerable Republicans in November's midterm elections, as GOP prospects face challenges over his handling of the economy and Iran war.
U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar was defeated by progressive challenger Donavan McKinney in Michigan's 13th Congressional District Democratic primary, marking a rare loss for crypto-backed political action committees despite over $2 million in support. The race drew national attention as a test of crypto industry political influence and progressive organizing power.
The cryptocurrency industry has invested close to $200 million in the November 2026 midterm elections, with crypto-backed PACs like Fairshake helping pro-crypto candidates win primary races in Michigan and Washington. The spending includes over $2 million in Michigan's 13th Congressional District alone.
Former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala was released from prison on Friday after the Constitutional Court overturned his 15-year sentence for money laundering related to the Odebrecht corruption scandal. The court ruled that campaign funding he received as a presidential candidate did not constitute a crime.
Elon Musk announced plans to spend between $100 million and $120 million supporting Republican candidates in the 2026 midterm elections, including backing Senator Susan Collins, despite earlier pledges to stay out of politics.
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman gave $10 million to support Democratic candidate James Talarico's Texas Senate campaign, representing nearly 80% of the super PAC's second-quarter fundraising in what could become one of the most expensive Senate races.
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin has invested approximately $40 million into the 2026 midterm campaigns, with the total potentially doubling by November as he works to influence the Republican Party's direction and help maintain its House and Senate majorities.
State Republican parties are charging as much as $20,000 for 'honorary delegate' positions at President Trump's unprecedented midterm convention, which the RNC has positioned as a fundraiser for state candidates rather than a traditional nominating convention.
Rep. Haley Stevens and former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed faced off in a contentious Democratic Senate primary debate, sparring over Israel policy, AIPAC funding, and their contrasting approaches to politics as the race enters its final stretch.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to eliminate federal restrictions on how much political parties can spend in coordination with their candidates for Congress and president, overturning campaign finance laws more than 50 years old. The case was initially filed by then-Senate candidate JD Vance, now Vice President.
Cryptocurrency companies have spent $189 million on the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, making the crypto industry the single largest corporate political spender in American politics and surpassing their total spending from the entire 2024 election cycle, according to a Public Citizen report.
A Democratic group that previously focused on presidential races is launching a $50 million advertising campaign targeting more than a dozen House and Senate contests in the 2026 midterm elections, with many races in Republican strongholds. The campaign begins Tuesday as Democrats seek to flip control of Congress.
Political action committees have spent nearly $9 million in Maine's gubernatorial primary contests, with over half of that spending occurring in the past three weeks as both parties' nomination races remain uncertain ahead of the election.
New campaign finance data reveals which candidates have spent the most money in Maine's gubernatorial race, with Democratic candidates Hannah Pingree and Troy Jackson among those competing for their party's nomination.
Democratic candidate Graham Platner has raised and spent more money than incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine's U.S. Senate race. Platner's heavy spending reflects both his contentious Democratic primary battle with Governor Janet Mills, who exited the race on April 30, and his anticipated November general election matchup with Collins.
Georgia's primary election on Tuesday showcases contentious Republican contests for governor and U.S. Senate, with Republicans dominating campaign spending while Democrats aim to leverage high turnout to flip two state supreme court seats.
Maine Governor Janet Mills suspended her U.S. Senate campaign on April 30, 2026, citing lack of financial resources. Her exit effectively hands the Democratic nomination to Graham Platner, a 41-year-old military veteran and oyster farmer, who will face Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in a race crucial to Democrats' hopes of winning Senate control.
Campaign finance reports show Chellie Pingree and an unnamed Bush leading their respective party fundraising efforts in Maine's gubernatorial race, with primaries scheduled for June 9, 2026. The money race features a competitive Democratic contest and well-funded Republican candidates.
Republican billionaire Rick Jackson has spent $50 million of his own money on a late-entry television advertising campaign that has dramatically reshaped the Georgia gubernatorial primary race, representing one of the highest political ad spending levels in the nation with the primary one month away.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Jim Libby withdrew from Maine's 2026 governor's race after the state's campaign finance watchdog denied his clean elections funding application, citing numerous problems with his campaign's paperwork and allegations of fraud.
Billionaire Rick Jackson filed to run for Georgia governor at the last minute despite another Republican having Trump's endorsement, after making a $1 million contribution to Trump's team that positioned him as a top contender in the race.
Campaign finance reports reveal that Texas' U.S. Senate primary races are being heavily influenced by dark money contributions from political nonprofits that are not legally required to disclose their donors, leaving voters unable to identify who is funding the deluge of attack ads in the final stretch of the primaries.
State Rep. James Talarico entered 2026 with approximately $1.5 million more in campaign funds than U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett as the two Democrats compete for their party's nomination for U.S. Senate in the March 3 primary.
Texas Senator John Cornyn outraised competitors including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Hunt in Q4 2025 fundraising, though polling shows Cornyn and Paxton in a close race with neither reaching the threshold to avoid a runoff.
State Representative James Talarico raised nearly $7 million in the most recent fundraising quarter for his U.S. Senate bid, bringing his total campaign haul to approximately $13 million. His primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, reported record fundraising quarters but did not disclose specific amounts.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn raised $1 million more than challenger Attorney General Ken Paxton in the first quarter of their 2026 Republican primary battle, while significant fundraising also shapes the state's first open GOP primaries for attorney general and comptroller in a decade.
