Democrats mention Trump in $163M of midterm ads, Republicans less so

President Donald Trump has expressed a desire for voters to treat him as if he were on the ballot in the upcoming midterm elections, according to the Associated Press reported by mymotherlode.com.

Democratic candidates and their allies have responded by heavily featuring Trump in their television advertisements. Since September 1, they have spent more than $163 million on ads mentioning the president, airing nearly 180,000 times across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, based on AdImpact data analyzed by the AP.

In contrast, Republican campaigns have referenced Trump far less frequently. They have run ads mentioning the president about 16,000 times at an estimated cost of $11 million during the same period. This reflects a notable restraint in promoting their party leader, who is described as dominant yet unpopular.

Many Democratic ads criticize Republican opponents for aligning with Trump on policies such as tariffs and the Iran war, which are blamed for increasing costs for voters. For example, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff's campaign spent nearly $3 million on an ad accusing his rival, Representative Mike Collins, of supporting Trump’s policies that raised prices on gas, groceries, and health insurance.

This dynamic illustrates how Trump remains a central figure in the midterm election discourse, with Democrats using his image to challenge Republican candidates, while Republicans limit their references to him in their advertising.