The 2022 midterms were the most expensive ever
The 2022 midterms are the most expensive midterms to date, costing over $16 billion across federal and state elections.
According to OpenSecrets, the most expensive election was the Pennsylvania Senate race, which cost over $370 million. The other races in the top five are the Georgia Senate race, Arizona Senate race, Wisconsin Senate race, and Ohio Senate race. Overall, the top five collectively cost $1.3 billion, CNN reports.
The Pennsylvania Senate race was also the most expensive in the 2016 midterm — however, the total spent was almost half this year's spending at $179 million. The candidates in the race are John Fetterman (D) and Mehmet Oz (R), who have been incredibly close in the polls. Pennsylvania is also a swing state and has been pivotal to many elections, prompting high campaign activity.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The high level of spending is also an indication of the enormous amounts that candidates and PACs are willing to spend to try to swing elections, NBC News reports. The top five most expensive races are also the most pivotal races this season, with all the candidates neck and neck. Control for the Senate is also on the line, prompting more campaign spending.
"No other midterm election has seen as much money at the state and federal levels as the 2022 elections," said OpenSecrets executive director Sheila Krumholz said. "We're seeing record-breaking totals spent on elections up and down the ballot."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Political cartoons for October 26Cartoons Sunday’s editorial cartoons include Young Republicans group chat, Louvre robbery, and more
-
Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
-
Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
