The Texas Senate race has become the most expensive non-presidential contest in US electoral history, with political advertising spending and reservations reaching $573 million ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to advertising intelligence firm AdImpact.The record-breaking expenditure comes as Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico battle for a Senate seat in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the upper chamber since 1988.Despite a substantial Republican advantage in advertising, the latest New York Times/Siena University poll puts Talarico ahead of Paxton by seven percentage points, raising Democratic hopes of an upset in the traditionally Republican state.According to AdImpact’s October 30 analysis, the Texas contest has attracted $165.7 million in primary advertising spending and another $407.5 million in general election spending and reservations. The latter figure includes advertising bookings, rather than only money already spent.
