Johnson, Duggan Hit Television Hard; Congressional Campaign Dems Dominate Digital
March 24, 2026
Article courtesy of MIRS for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
Gubernatorial candidates Perry Johnson and Mike Duggan have been hitting the airwaves with big spends on broadcast, cable and streaming, while Democrats running for U.S. Senate and House have started spending big on digital platforms, according to data collected by AdImpact.
Johnson for MI Governor has spent nearly $12.7 million, with nearly $8.1 million being poured into broadcast advertisements and more than $2.4 million going toward streaming services. The campaign also spent nearly $1.1 million on cable network buys, while his digital spending sits at nearly $480,000.
The pro-Duggan PAC “Put Progress First” has spent more than $8 million on broadcast ads touting the former Detroit mayor in designated market areas (DMA), or geographic regions for local broadcasters, outside of Detroit. The largest buy was in the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek DMA, followed by Flint-Saginaw-Bay City and Lansing.
The Duggan-linked nonprofit has spent more than $5 million in broadcast ad buys for the independent candidate. They’ve also spent more than $1.5 million on streaming advertising buys.
Duggan for MI Governor has spent nearly $920,000 on digital and social media advertising buys.
Republican Campaigns for Tom Leonard and Mike Cox have had much lower spending, with Leonard’s campaign spending more than $413,000 on streaming advertising and Cox spending more than $86,000 on digital advertising.
The campaign for Democrat Jocelyn Benson has spent more than $72,000 on digital ads.
Republicans Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) and Ralph Rebandt brought up the rear for the governor’s race spending, with Nesbitt spending nearly $20,000 on digital ads and Rebrandt hitting more than $10,000 on digital and $4,000 on broadcast.
U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township) spent nearly $13,000 on digital advertising in the run-up to his reelection campaign in June 2025, before he announced his run for governor. According to AdImpact, he hasn’t spent anything on that race.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrats have concentrated most of the ad spending on digital, with state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) leading the pack with nearly $1.2 million all going to digital.
The campaign for Abdul El–Sayed has diversified ad spending a bit, with $343,000 going into digital, more than $96,000 going to broadcast and cable networks and nearly $4,000 going to streaming.
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham)’s campaign bought more than $181,000 in digital ads.
Republican Mike Rogers has spent nearly $15,000 on digital advertising, and is the only Republican running for Senate to have any advertising spending.
In the Congressional 10th district, Democrat Christine Hines has put nearly $83,000 into digital ads.
In other U.S. House districts, the 7th district has Democratic-backed Michigan Families for Fair Care buying up more than $1.4 million in broadcast ads and nearly $500,000 in streaming ads attacking U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte).
Barrett’s campaign has spent nearly $124,000 on digital ads at this point, while the U.S. House of Representatives has kicked down more than $115,000 in digital ads.
The League of Conservation Voters has also spent more than $130,000 on advertising in the district, along with more than $62,000 from Reproductive Freedom for All.
Democratic candidate Bridget Brink is the only candidate in the district that has spent funding on advertising, with nearly $29,000 going into digital.
Michigan Congressional district 4 has state Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) starting off with more than $47,000 in digital ad buys.
In the Congressional 13th, Donovan McKinney has put nearly $34,000 into digital advertising, while U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) has spent $12,000 on cable advertising and more than $1,000 toward digital.
The Michigan Senate district 35 special election has Democrats coming out swinging the advertising dollars, with the campaign for Chedrick Greene putting more than $155,000 into a cable advertising buy, nearly $32,000 into local broadcast and more than $5,000 into the streaming space.
Greene has also been backed up by the Michigan New Leaders Coalition, which put more than $47,000 into digital spending, nearly $99,000 in streaming and more than $73,000 into broadcast. The Michigan Democratic State Central Committee has also dumped more than $124,000 into broadcast ads for the race.
Republican Christian Velasquez, who lost in the primary to Jason Tunney, spent more than $61,000 on cable advertising and nearly $8,000 on broadcast in January.
AdImpact didn’t have any TV spending for Tunney.
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