Spending on political media was up 8% for the 2010 campaign cycle, reaching a record $4.55 billion, despite the absence of a presidential election, according to a new report from PQ Media. Direct mail spending accounted for almost two-thirds of all marketing expenditures in 2010, according to the PQ Media Political Campaign Media Spending 2010 report. Direct mail spending increased 2.9% compared with 2008 and 46.2% compared with 2006 for a total of $1.03 billion. Overall marketing media expenditures increased 2.3% from 2008 and 44.6% from 2006 for a total of $1.39 billion. The other five marketing media measured in the report -- telemarketing, public relations, event marketing, promotions and marketing research – generated a combined total of $356 million in spending in 2010. Record fundraising helped drive the increase in overall political media spending for the sixth consecutive election cycle, according to the report. Advertising media accounted for 69.5% of all campaign media expenditures, growing 10.5% from 2008 and 45% from 2006 for a total of $3.16 billion. Broadcast TV remained the primary medium by which political campaigns reached voters in 2010, generating $2.29 billion in advertising. Newspaper ad spending decreased for the second consecutive election cycle. Cable TV, Internet and mobile advertising continued to grow but still accounted for well under 1% of total political advertising in 2010. By campaign category, the report found that gubernatorial candidates accounted for the largest share of media expenditures in 2010 at 32.1%. Spending on local/regional elections rose 14.6% to $323 million versus 2008, as Republicans sought to seize control of various state legislatures considered Democratic strongholds for decades. On a geographic basis, political media spending hit record levels in many DMA’s, with eight markets generating more than $100 million in spending. Los Angeles topped the list at $337.8 million, followed by New York City at $238.6 million and Philadelphia at $144 million. PQ Media’s preliminary forecast is for total political media spending to set another record in 2012, growing at double-digit rates over the 2010 level and the last presidential election year in 2008 to surpass $5.6 billion.