As the 2026 midterm elections draw near, New York City’s 12th congressional district has emerged as a pivotal battleground in the escalating conflict over artificial intelligence regulation. With significant financial backing from AI-focused super PACs, the district’s Democratic primary is set to test candidates’ positions on the future of AI legislation, particularly as it pertains to the tech industry’s influence in Washington.
A Financial Powerhouse
During this election cycle, super PACs dedicated to AI-related issues have amassed nearly $100 million, with about $44 million already spent across various congressional races nationwide. Remarkably, almost half of this expenditure has been funneled into the Democratic primary for NY-12, where Assemblymember Alex Bores is in a fierce contest to secure his party’s nomination. Bores, who has a background in technology, is now at the forefront of a fierce struggle for the regulatory future of artificial intelligence.
The financial backing for Bores’ opposition comes from Think Big, a super PAC affiliated with Leading the Future, a newly established bipartisan network advocating for pro-AI candidates. This group has allocated a staggering $8.2 million to the NY-12 race, primarily targeting Bores. The funding sources are noteworthy, with just four affluent donors, including prominent venture capitalists and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, responsible for the bulk of the contributions. Their agenda is clear: they seek a unified federal framework to regulate AI, steering clear of a fragmented state regulatory environment which they argue could disadvantage American tech in the global race against countries like China.
The Battle Lines Are Drawn
The aggressive campaigning against Bores has sparked a counter-offensive from other super PACs advocating for stronger AI safeguards. Groups such as You Can Push Back, funded by crypto magnate Chris Larsen, and Jobs and Democracy, a Democrat-focused arm of the Public First network, have mobilised resources to counteract the anti-Bores messaging. With a collective expenditure of approximately $11 million, these PACs are framing the narrative around Bores as a defender against the encroachment of “rightwing billionaires” seeking to influence the political landscape.
Bores has reframed the primary as a critical referendum on AI regulation, declaring, “This is the first congressional race in the country where the dividing line is: can we regulate AI at all?” Polling indicates that he is now in a neck-and-neck race with Micah Lasher, another assemblymember who has also advocated for AI safeguards, making the outcome uncertain.
The Context of the Campaign
New York City is uniquely positioned in this debate, being identified as the most “AI-exposed” county in the United States. With an estimated 20% of its workforce engaged in roles that AI could potentially disrupt, concerns about the rapid advancement of AI technology resonate deeply within the community. Bores’ unexpected rise as a candidate has not only garnered attention but has also made him a symbol of a broader national debate on how to balance innovation with safety in AI development.
Despite its anti-establishment rhetoric, the funding sources behind Public First raise questions about potential conflicts of interest. While the group positions itself as a counterweight to Big Tech’s influence, its significant backing from the AI sector, including a $20 million contribution from Anthropic, suggests a complicated relationship with the very industry it seeks to regulate. As Henry Ajder, a generative AI expert, noted, the dynamics of the race reflect a growing unease among voters about the opaque decision-making processes of elite technocrats.
The Wider Implications
The implications of the NY-12 primary extend far beyond the district itself; they could set a precedent for how AI regulation is approached nationally. As the campaigns unfold, both sides are acutely aware that the outcome here may influence the trajectory of legislative action on AI in Congress. Candidates like Bores and Lasher represent a new wave of policymakers who are grappling with the complexities of AI governance, trying to carve out a space where innovation does not come at the expense of public safety.
Why it Matters
The stakes in New York’s 12th district are emblematic of a larger struggle over the future of technology and its regulation. As AI continues to permeate various sectors of society, the decisions made in this primary could resonate across the nation, shaping the landscape for future legislation that balances technological advancement with ethical considerations. The outcome of this race has the potential to influence not only the political careers of the candidates involved but also the broader conversation about the role of AI in our lives and the governance structures that will oversee its evolution.
