Advertising
The $10 Billion Midterms: New Forecast Shows Surge in Ad Spend
Campaigns & Elections
“Michigan alone is projected to absorb over $1 billion in political advertising in 2026 – more than the entire country saw during the 2006 midterm cycle. The Atlanta area is expected to be the most expensive media market this year, with an estimated $591 million in political ad spending, according to KPI’s forecast.”
Campaigns
Thousands of Wisconsin voters conversed with an AI chatbot before the Supreme Court election
Wisconsin Public Radio
“In Wisconsin, the group used an AI-powered virtual assistant to target voters identified as ‘undecided’ across the state, sending messages that supported Taylor’s election. More than 1.1 million received texts and over 10,000 responded, Defend Our Courts told WPR.”
Content
Attention, Algorithms, and AI
Eric Wilson
“And while there are any number of organizations, industries, and interest groups spending historic sums of money to influence and shape our political dialogue, the way to win is by attracting and retaining an audience.”
Fundraising
House Republicans Ask ActBlue C.E.O., Regina Wallace-Jones, to Testify
New York Times
“In Mr. Steil’s request on Thursday for Ms. Wallace-Jones to appear, he alluded to the Times article and some of the internal ActBlue documents it mentioned. He suggested that the organization had not provided all the documents it should have offered in response to a subpoena last year.”
ActBlue, Democratic fundraising engine, faces lawsuit over foreign donations
Washington Post
“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) on Monday filed a lawsuit against ActBlue alleging that the Democratic fundraising apparatus misled Congress and the public about its process for vetting donations — ratcheting up pressure on the platform ahead of the midterm elections.”
Technology
AI Isn't Rewriting Politics
Will Robinson
“AI doesn’t create power. It amplifies whatever infrastructure already exists.”