Where Senate Republican allies are spending big in 2026
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A group linked to Senate Republican leadership has already poured serious money into 2026 congressional races, according to ad spending tracked by AdImpact.
Why it matters: New leadership at the Senate Leadership Fund told Axios they want to spend big early in the cycle. But Senate GOP allies haven't had much choice, due to the expense of their efforts to keep Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) afloat in his primary.
- One Nation — an SLF-tied dark money group— has spent more than any other individual PAC so far this cycle at more than $24 million, according to data from AdImpact.
- More than $8 million of that ad money has gone into the Texas Senate race, where the group said it is working to stave off Attorney General Ken Paxton's primary challenge.
What they're saying: "SLF and our partners are leading with earlier, smarter and more creative investments to educate voters and back Majority Leader [John] Thune and Senate Republicans in 2026," SLF executive director Alex Latcham told Axios in a statement.
Between the lines: Cornyn has shrunk a massive polling gap he faced this spring.
- A new poll by One Nation found Cornyn winning 32% of Republican primary voters — compared to 31% for Paxton and 17% for Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), as NOTUS first reported.
The intrigue: The group spending the second-most so far in the cycle, according to AdImpact's tracker, is the American Action Network, which is aligned with House GOP leadership's Congressional Leadership Fund.
- They have spent nearly $21 million, according to a recent AAN announcement.
- The 2026 midterm elections are projected to set a new record for advertisement spending.
