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It's been the most expensive election yet, though political ads aren't that effective

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with political scientist John Sides of Vanderbilt University about the record political ad spending this election, despite the limited effectiveness of political ads.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist and a host of NPR’s newsmagazine All Things Considered, as well as NPR’s daily news podcast Consider This.
Christopher Harland-Dunaway
Christopher Intagliata is a senior editor at All Things Considered, where he writes news and edits interviews with politicians, musicians, restaurant owners, scientists and many of the other voices heard on the air.