FIRST EDITION: FREE & JUST’S REPRO RADAR TRACKS ABORTION AD SPENDING WEEK-TO-WEEK

September 3-10, 2026

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE: 

Estimated total spend on abortion-related ads this week: $1,471,976

Total number of abortion-related ads aired this week: 171

TOP THREE ADS THIS WEEK BY SPEND AND PARTY:

DEMOCRAT

1. Pritzker for IL Governor [watch the ad here]

2. Massachusetts Democratic Party [watch the ad here]

3. Healey for MA Governor [watch the ad here]

REPUBLICAN

1. South Dakota Conservative PAC [watch the ad here] 

2. Dabrowski for IL Governor [watch the ad here] 

3. Garrett for TN [watch the ad here]

OTHER 

1. Idaho Civic Engagement Project [watch the ad here] 

2. Students for Life of America [watch the ad here] 

3. House Franked Spending [watch the ad here] 

WHERE ADS AIRED THIS WEEK: 

Top three media markets where abortion-related ads aired this week (by spend)

1. St. Louis, MO –– Estimated spend: $428,578

2. Boston, MA –– Estimated spend: $340,284

3. Chicago, IL ––Estimated spend: $267,702

TOP ISSUES APPEARING ALONGSIDE ABORTION IN ADS THIS WEEK 

• Abortion

• Donald Trump

• ICE

• Healthcare 

• Guns

MORE ABOUT FREE & JUST’S “REPRO RADAR”

How are ads identified?
This analysis is based on data from AdImpact’s ad library, which uses automatic content recognition software to capture broadcast advertising and much—though not all—CTV/OTT/streaming advertising. AdImpact uses AI-assisted language analysis to categorize ads by topic. This analysis includes ads tagged with “abortion” or “Planned Parenthood” as topics, as well as ads whose available transcripts include terms such as “abortion,” “reproductive,” “pro-life,” “pro-choice,” or “anti-choice.” Because topic tagging and transcripts are automated, the results may not capture every relevant ad and may include some ads where abortion is not the primary message.

How is spending calculated?
Spending amounts by ad are AdImpact estimates and should be treated as directional, not as advertiser- or platform-reported spending. They are most useful for comparing spending within the same media type (i.e., broadcast or CTV/OTT/streaming). AdImpact estimates spending based on detected airings, market and station information, and estimated costs per impression. These estimates do not account for price differences caused by fluctuations in demand or by candidate-versus-issue advertising rates. Broadcast estimates are generally more reliable than CTV/OTT/streaming estimates because broadcast monitoring is more comprehensive.

How quickly do new ads appear?
Broadcast ads are typically detected quickly and generally appear in the library within 24 hours. CTV/OTT/streaming ads can take longer to identify and may not appear for up to three to six days. Some CTV/OTT/streaming ads may not be trackable or captured at all.