Parties Spend Heavily in 70 House Districts Before Midterms
Both major parties are investing at least six figures per district in 70 U.S. House districts for the final days before the November 3 midterm elections, according to an NPR analysis published October 29, 2026.
Michigan's 7th District and North Carolina's 1st District each have more than $12 million in planned ad spending, NPR reported. The Associated Press has said all 435 House districts are up for grabs as Republicans and Democrats compete for control of Congress.
Republicans hold a narrow 218-214 seat advantage in the House going into the election. NPR cited Cook Political Report ratings from October that found Democrats favored in 220 seats. Cook listed 17 seats as toss-ups and another 30 as potentially competitive but leaning toward Republicans.
A NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, also cited in October, found Democrats ahead by 10 points among registered voters and by 8 points among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot. That is the question asking which party people prefer to control Congress, without naming candidates.
Data from AdImpact, which tracks political ad bookings, showed Republicans cut the ad time they had reserved in recent weeks in several districts. The districts include those held by Reps. Adam Gray of California's 13th District, Nellie Pou of New Jersey's 9th District and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington's 3rd District. They also include the district of retiring Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska's 2nd District.
Earlier in the fall, NPR reported in an October 8 analysis that both parties were spending heavily in roughly 60 House districts. In early October, the Democratic House campaign arm's list of Republican-held seats it hopes to flip stood at 46 after adding six districts.
