Axios reported that a record $11.6 billion has been spent on political ads across screens of every size during the 2026 midterm elections. The report, written by Stef W. Kight and published on November 3, 2026, focuses on the attack ads that have run this cycle. Axios report on the 2026 midterm attack ads

According to Axios, only a handful of those ads earned the "grudging respect" of operatives on both sides of the political divide. The outlet's summary says top party strategists may dislike seeing one of their candidates hit hard by an ad, yet they can still admire the work behind it.

Axios reported that multiple Republican strategists singled out one ad for particular attention. The summary available for this story ends before naming the ad, the candidate it targeted, or the strategists who commented, so those details could not be confirmed here.

Axios described the ads as drawing a mix of reactions from within the parties. In the summary's account, the same ad can prompt discomfort among party leaders over a candidate's treatment and still earn professional praise for how it was made.

The American Centinel has not independently checked the $11.6 billion figure or the strategists' comments. This account is drawn from the Axios summary, and the full report may contain additional figures, names, and context that are not reflected here.

Sources: Axios: The brutal 2026 attack ads even rivals had to respect.