July 08, 2026 3:32 PM ET Republicans boosted spending in red states ahead of the November midterms, which signals the GOP is worried about its chances of retaining the Senate majority. The Nation, a conservative nonprofit aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is reserving $28 million in television advertising in Ohio and $11 million in Iowa, Axios first reported. The ads will begin airing Wednesday and continue throughout the summer.Not long ago, Ohio and Iowa did not appear to need outside help particularly since President Donald Trump won both states by double digits. One Nation executive director Alex Latcham told Thune and top GOP donors during a June 1 meeting that the party needed to prioritize investments in Ohio, Iowa, Maine and North Carolina. (RELATED: Election Official