Observed Signal · Feb 20, 2026 · Funding · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
AI Giants Clash Over Congressional Candidate Amid Safety Debate
A PAC funded by Anthropic is spending to support New York Assembly member Alex Bores, who has been targeted by a rival pro‑AI super PAC. Public First Action, backed by a $20 million donation from Anthropic, is spending $450,000 to boost Bores’ bid for New York’s 12th congressional district. The industry‑backed super PAC Leading the Future — funded with more than $100 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and figures such as OpenAI president Greg Brockman, Perplexity and Joe Lonsdale — has spent roughly $1.1 million on ads attacking Bores because he sponsored New York’s RAISE Act, which requires major AI developers to disclose safety protocols and report serious misuse.
Highlights significant political ad spending by AI companies and investors, signalling industry involvement in shaping AI policy and the use of ad channels for political influence; relevant to ad inventory allocation and reputational/regulatory risks but not an industry‑shifting technical development.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Public First Action, a PAC backed by a $20 million donation from Anthropic, is spending $450,000 to support Alex Bores’ congressional campaign.
- Leading the Future, a pro‑AI super PAC backed by more than $100 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Greg Brockman, Perplexity and Joe Lonsdale, has spent about $1.1 million on ads attacking Alex Bores.
- Alex Bores sponsored New York’s RAISE Act, legislation that requires major AI developers to disclose safety protocols and report serious misuse of their systems.
- The two committees present competing pro‑AI positions: Leading the Future is aligned with certain industry backers, while Public First Action emphasizes transparency, safety standards and public oversight.
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
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AI PACs Spend $20M in New York Primary
AI companies and affiliated political action committees have poured more than $20 million into the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th congressional district, turning the race into a proxy fight over AI regulation. Two large super PACs are competing directly: Leading the Future (backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Open AI co-founder Greg Brockman and Perplexity) spent about $8 million opposing Assemblyman Alex Bores, while Public First Action — supported by roughly $20 million from Anthropic — has backed Bores with roughly $11 million. Smaller PACs and donors (including Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen and Anthropic donor Dan Ziegler) have also spent on the contest. Bores, a lead sponsor of a New York AI safety bill, supports stronger AI safeguards; Leading the Future advocates lighter national guardrails. Because the district is heavily Democratic, the primary winner is likely to take the House seat, making the contest influential for future federal AI policy.
AI Giants Target Congressional Candidate Over Transparency Law
Alex Bores, a New York assembly member and candidate for the 12th congressional district, says AI companies and allied Silicon Valley backers are funding outside groups to oppose his campaign after he sponsored state-level AI transparency legislation. A super PAC called Leading the Future — backed by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, Perplexity and others — has raised about $125 million to influence state elections and has committed at least $10 million against Bores. Bores says he quit Palantir in 2019 over its ICE work and highlights the RAISE Act, an AI transparency law signed in December, as a reason industry actors view him as a threat. Other industry activity cited includes Meta’s $65 million into state-focused super PACs and an Anthropic-backed PAC supporting Bores.
AI Regulation Sparks Political Showdown in Midterm Elections
Two major AI-focused political action committees are competing in U.S. races as early battlegrounds for AI regulation, deploying six-figure ad buys and signaling that hundreds of millions could flow into the midterm elections. Jobs and Democracy PAC (the Democratic arm of a pro-regulation group) is running ads supporting New York assemblyman Alex Bores, a driving force behind the state's RAISE Act that requires large AI developers to publish safety protocols and report serious misuse. Bores was earlier targeted by an ad from Leading the Future, a PAC backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Joe Lonsdale, Perplexity, Ron Conway and others. The broader bipartisan effort Public First Action — led by former lawmakers Brad Carson and Chris Stewart — has received a $20 million donation from Anthropic and is running ads for multiple candidates; its Republican arm, Defending Our Values PAC, has placed buys for Sen. Pete Ricketts. The contest reflects wider clashes between AI firms (e.g., OpenAI and Anthropic) and debate over federal preemption of state AI rules.
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