Observed Signal · Feb 19, 2026 · Political Advertising / PAC Activity · Source: CNBC Technology · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
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.
Significant PAC spending around AI regulation can influence midterm outcomes and shape future AI policy; donations from major AI firms (e.g., Anthropic) and competing industry-backed campaigns may affect regulatory risk, compliance requirements and competitive positioning for AI and adtech companies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Jobs and Democracy PAC launched a six-figure ad buy supporting Alex Bores in the Democratic primary for New York's 12th congressional district.
- Alex Bores helped drive New York's RAISE Act, which requires large AI developers to publish safety protocols and report serious misuse.
- Leading the Future PAC — backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, Perplexity, SV Angel founder Ron Conway and others — ran an ad campaign targeting Bores in November.
- Public First Action, a bipartisan group led by former lawmakers Brad Carson and Chris Stewart, received a $20 million donation from Anthropic and has launched six-figure ad buys for multiple candidates.
- The Republican arm Defending Our Values PAC placed a six-figure buy supporting Sen. Pete Ricketts, who introduced legislation to restrict exports of advanced U.S. semiconductors to adversarial countries.
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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 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 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.
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