Midterm Ads Top $3.4 Billion as Senate Tilt Hinges

Voters cast ballots on Tuesday to decide which party controls the Senate, a contest that has consumed more than $3.4 billion in television and digital advertising according to AdImpact. The spending reflects the high stakes of an election where the balance of power could shift. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber. For Democrats to seize control, they must achieve a net gain of four seats from their current position.

The financial commitment signals how closely contested the races are across the country. While traditional battlegrounds like Georgia, Michigan, and North Carolina remain tight, the competition has extended to states that have leaned more Republican in recent years. Ohio and Iowa are expected to be close, as are races in Alaska, Kansas, and Texas. These states were previously considered safe for one party or the other, but polling suggests the margins are narrower than anticipated.

In Alaska, a late-breaking controversy has drawn national attention to the race between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. A report indicated that the Democratic campaign and other allies recruited a different candidate, also named Dan J. Sullivan, to appear on the ballot. This tactic, known as ballot-stacking, is designed to confuse voters in a state that uses ranked choice voting and lists four Senate candidates. Peltola and her team have denied recruiting the lesser-known candidate, though polls in the state will not close until 1 a.m. Eastern Time.

Clearer results will emerge earlier in other key states. In Ohio, polls close at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time as Republican Sen. Jon Husted faces a challenge from former Sen. Sherrod Brown for the remainder of JD Vance's unexpired term. Husted was appointed to the seat last year after Vance became vice president. President Donald Trump held three rallies in Ohio and one in neighboring Kentucky to support Husted. During these events, the president praised Husted's legislative work while frequently commenting on the senator's physical appearance in direct terms.

Michigan offers another example of shifting alliances in the final hours of the campaign. Republican nominee Mike Rogers secured a last-minute endorsement Sunday from Rep. Haley Stevens. Stevens had lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed in August and had previously committed to backing him. Tensions flared in recent days over El-Sayed's stance on Israel, leading his campaign to exclude Stevens from events. She cited this rift as the reason for switching her support to Rogers, a move that sparked accusations of betrayal from fellow House Democrats. Polls in Michigan close at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

Other critical contests include Maine, where polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Republican Sen. Susan Collins faces Troy Jackson, the former state Senate President. In Texas, where the final polls close at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, no Democrat has won a Senate seat in 33 years. State Rep. James Talarico maintains a polling lead within the margin of error against state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton unseated incumbent John Cornyn in a primary runoff following a push by Trump, while billionaire Elon Musk has spent at least $150 million to support Paxton's campaign.