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Why Trump and the GOP's billion-dollar midterm blitz isn’t working

Republican groups have poured more than $740 million into key congressional races from Labor Day through Oct. 14, according to a CNBC analysis of AdImpact data, including at least $220 million from Trump-linked groups. Elon Musk has given over $276 million to Republican groups since July, making him the largest known donor of the midterms. Despite this, Democrats still lead in polling averages across nine of the most competitive Senate races, and the spending has barely shifted the map. The article argues the GOP's money advantage may overstate its ad-buying power, since super PACs pay more for airtime than candidates, who get the lowest unit rate. Strategists quoted say money cannot overcome a difficult political climate.

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