The Money

The last reports before the vote, covering 1 to 14 October, show the RNC, NRSC and NRCC holding $147.9 million against $73.0 million for the Democrats' three committees. Both sides are spending down, and three committees carry debts: the NRSC $20 million, the DNC and DSCC $15 million each. Federal committees spent more than $1 billion in those two weeks, The New York Times found.

Anything spent since 14 October shows up only in 24- and 48-hour reports, and those stopped for two days. The FEC took its filing system offline late on 26 October after an attempted breach and restored it on the evening of 28 October; it has not said who was behind it.

Advertising spent or reserved has reached $11.21 billion, AdImpact counts, past 2024's record. Kansas's Senate race, at $84.5 million, is the most expensive election in the state's history.

The final-week moves are mixed. Republicans cut reservations in four House districts, including California's 13th and Nebraska's 2nd. House Majority PAC pulled and then partly restored money in two Florida seats, and the DSCC entered Mississippi with $500,000. In 14 of 56 competitive races, the candidates' own reports changed which side holds more cash.