The 2026 midterm elections are marked by campaigns exploiting personal tragedies for political gain, often against the wishes of the grieving families. These attack ads feature graphic content like murdered children's photos and anguished 911 calls, forcing families to relive their worst moments. For instance, Rick Jackson used images of Secoriea Turner and her mother's 911 call to attack Keisha Lance Bottoms, despite the family's demands for ad removal. Similarly, Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign spent millions on an ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother, who disputed Acton's account of childhood homelessness and abuse. A Republican ad against Sherrod Brown used images of a couple and their deceased child, blaming Brown's immigration policies, leading to family objections. In North Carolina, a super PAC featured a grieving father to link his son's murder to Roy Cooper's prison policies, with the father claiming deception. Ramaswamy's campaign justified its ad by citing positive testing with persuadable voters, despite warnings of potential backlash. While some survivors willingly share their trauma for political purposes, like Jody Snogren attacking Pete Ricketts over a pardon, the widespread exploitation of unconsenting families remains a deeply controversial aspect of this election cycle.