2026 Election Ads Focus on Trump and AOC, Sidelining Johnson and Jeffries: Why Partisan Firebrands Dominate Campaigns

Midterm election advertisements are poised to spotlight President Donald Trump, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) far more than House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) or Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), according to strategists from both political parties.

Why this matters: Billions of dollars are expected to be spent in efforts to elect Johnson or Jeffries to their leadership roles, yet their presence in campaign ads remains minimal. Strategists suggest this is because neither Johnson nor Jeffries inspires the kind of partisan animosity that makes a politician an effective attack ad target.

Instead, Trump is likely to dominate Democratic attack ads, while Republicans are expected to feature Mamdani, AOC, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former Vice President Kamala Harris, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom in negative campaign spots.

Driving the News

An analysis by Axios of ads tracked on AdImpact since January revealed only a handful of Republican ads referencing Jeffries. For example, Ohio GOP candidate Derek Merrin’s ad juxtaposes Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) with Jeffries and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), with a voice-over stating the district “doesn’t need another politician.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee has aired an ad specifically targeting Jeffries, accusing him of orchestrating “Project 2026” to “remake America” with left-wing policies.

Axios found no Democratic ads this election cycle that explicitly reference Johnson.

Yes, But...

Jeffries did enter political discourse in a different context on Monday. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), facing calls to resign after saying “Yes, yes to that” in response to a radio host suggesting Jeffries should keep his “cotton-picking hands off of Virginia,” later denied endorsing the comment and stated she does not condone it. Kiggans is locked in one of the most competitive House races in the country.

Zoom Out

Trump remains a central figure in Democratic ads, including those targeting other Democrats in contested primaries. House Majority Forward, the nonprofit arm of House Democrats’ main super PAC, repeatedly references Trump in ads criticizing vulnerable GOP incumbents on issues like tariffs, Medicaid cuts, and rising prices.

Between the Lines

Political ad-makers have a long history of using party leaders to attack swing-district candidates. Pelosi was a prime example, becoming a widely used Republican bogeyman as early as 2006, before her first stint as speaker.

In contrast, Johnson and Jeffries are relatively new to their roles and have cultivated reputations as inoffensive behind-the-scenes operators compared to the firebrands in their parties. A Democratic strategist noted that the party has explicitly framed Johnson as the “deputy speaker,” playing second fiddle to Trump.