Observed Signal · Nov 4, 2026 · Election Analysis · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
AI PACs Spend Millions in Midterms, Results Mixed
AI industry political action committees spent millions in the 2026 midterms, but results were mixed. Pro-industry PACs like American Mission and Building the Future backed losing candidates, while pro-regulation groups also saw varied outcomes. The article highlights the ongoing battle over national vs. state AI regulation, with both sides planning for 2028.
High spending by AI PACs in elections signals growing political influence, potentially shaping future AI regulation.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Two AI-focused PACs, American Mission and Building the Future, collectively spent $4.8 million backing losing Senate candidate Darline Graham in South Carolina.
- American Mission spent over $500,000 each on losing House candidates Aaron Flint (Montana) and Laurie Buckhout (North Carolina).
- Guardrails Alliance spent over $1 million each opposing losing candidates Jimmy Gomez and Aaron Flint, and $300,000 supporting winner Angela Gonzales-Torres.
- Leading the Future (LTF) spent $27.38 million in primary elections, including $8 million opposing losing candidate Alex Bores.
- Elon Musk reportedly spent half a billion dollars supporting Republicans, many of whom lost.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“Backs PAC Public First, which supported various candidates.”
“President Greg Brockman is a backer of Leading the Future.”
“VC firm backing Leading the Future.”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
AI companies spend millions to influence 2026 elections
AI companies and affiliated political action committees are spending heavily in the 2026 midterm elections to shape forthcoming federal AI legislation. CNBC found the two largest AI-focused PACs had contributed at least $44 million to 40 House and Senate candidates by the end of June, and they report having raised more than $200 million for the rest of the cycle. Leading the Future and Public First Action are the principal groups discussed; both back some regulatory guardrails but diverge on issues like federal preemption of state AI laws. Major donors and donor sources cited include Andreessen Horowitz, Anthropic, OpenAI employees, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, Greg Brockman and Perplexity. The spending is intended to influence how national AI rules are written in coming years.
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.
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.
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