Epstein Files Feature in US Midterm Attack Ads
Democratic candidates and groups backing them have run advertisements in the 2026 US midterm campaign accusing Republican opponents of protecting pedophiles by voting against legislation to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to The Guardian.
The ads are part of a wide advertising push. NBC News reported in October that more than 500 ads about Epstein and pedophiles had aired during the election cycle. A CNN analysis found that candidates and outside groups had spent more than $35 million on Epstein-related ads, while a Washington Post analysis found that Democrats had spent more than $40 million on such ads across six key Senate races.
The attacks target specific Republican candidates. An ad aimed at Colorado Republican Jeff Crank notes that he voted against releasing the Epstein files. A separate ad featuring family members of Virginia Giuffre claimed that Crank "covered up Epstein's crimes to protect Donald Trump." Giuffre was one of Epstein's accusers.
In Iowa, Senate candidate Ashley Hinson was accused in ads of voting to "protect her donors" by refusing to vote to release the files. In Georgia, an ad targeting Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins says he voted against releasing the files even after he knew that Epstein's sex-trafficking operation had exploited 14-year-old girls. In Florida, Democratic opponent Jimmy Patronis's campaign accused the Republican of calling an investigation into Epstein "a waste of his time."
Some Democratic candidates have also faced attacks of their own. Select Democrats have been accused in ads of having ties to Epstein.
The votes at the center of the ads stem from a fight in Congress last year. Democrats and a small number of House Republicans tried to force a vote on the Epstein files using a discharge petition, a procedure that lets lawmakers bypass the usual committee steps and compel a vote on the House floor if enough members sign.
Separately, a judge dismissed President Trump's lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over an alleged birthday letter to Epstein, the Guardian reported on October 31. The dismissal was with prejudice, meaning Trump may not amend or refile the suit.
The Justice Department had previously planned to release more Epstein documents gradually, Reuters reported in December 2025. The issue has also drawn attention beyond advertising. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published in February found that Americans believe wealthy and powerful people are rarely held accountable. In July 2025, two U.S. lawmakers told Reuters that the Epstein furor was undermining public trust and Republican hopes of keeping control of Congress in the 2026 midterms.
