AI Super PACs Turn New York Primary into Proxy War Over Regulation

The June 2026 Democratic primary for New York’s 12th congressional district pits state Assemblymember Alex Bores against former Assemblymember Micah Lasher, Kennedy descendant Jack Schlossberg, and several lesser-known candidates. The contest has become the nation’s first congressional race where two AI-focused super PACs—Leading the Future (LTF) and Public First Action (PFA)—are directly opposed, turning the election into a proxy battle over the future of U.S. AI regulation.

CNBC

Bores authored the RAISE Act (Responsible AI Safety and Education), a New York law requiring AI firms to disclose safety protocols and report incidents. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill in late 2023. At the federal level, the White House is pushing for a bipartisan AI framework, but Congress has yet to pass comprehensive legislation, leaving state-level measures like RAISE as focal points for national debate.

The Hill

• Alex Bores – former Palantir engineer; supported by PFA, a PAC co-founded by former Rep. Brad Carson and Rep. Chris Stewart. PFA’s Jobs and Democracy arm contributed > $15 million; additional pro-Bores groups include You Can Push Back ($3.3 M), Dream NYC ($2.3 M), and Guardrails Alliance ($0.285 M).

Corporate AI super PACs spend $27 million

• Micah Lasher – former Assemblymember; backed by a Bloomberg-linked super PAC that has contributed >= $10 million.

Politico

• Jack Schlossberg – Kennedy grandson; has not received comparable AI-industry backing.

CNBC

• Leading the Future – super PAC funded by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, Andreessen Horowitz, Perplexity, Ron Conway and others; spent ? $8 million on ads opposing Bores. Its Democratic arm, Think Big, framed the RAISE Act as a “chaotic patchwork” that would “crush innovation” and cost New York jobs.

Corporate AI super PACs spend $27 million

Federal Election Commission filings show > $20 million in AI-related outside spending in the race; Politico reports a total of $26 million from tech-industry groups. By ad spend, $9.3 million supported Bores, $3.6 million attacked him, while LTF allocated about $8 million to anti-Bores advertising. PFA’s pro-Bores spending exceeds $11 million, making the contest the second-most expensive House primary on record.

The Hill

• LTF co-leader Josh Vlasto said the group backs a national AI framework that creates jobs, strengthens U.S. competitiveness, and includes strong safety guardrails.

The Hill

• PFA President Brad Carson noted the PAC receives contributions from “mid-level people who are very scared about where the technology is going.”

Politico

• OpenAI issued a statement that “no outside political group speaks for OpenAI or represents our company’s views.”

Politico

• Anthropic clarified its $20 million donation to PFA is “restricted” from use in federal elections.

Politico

• Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, argued the firm has spent less than rivals and called for uniform rules across the industry.

Politico

Opponents label Bores “bought and sold,” citing “shadowy super PACs” that fund his campaign. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, endorsing Lasher, warned of “a web of shadowy super PACs, led by a cryptocurrency billionaire.” Guardrails Alliance co-founder Shaunna Thomas warned that the spending strategy should become a liability for its beneficiaries. The Tech Oversight Project’s Sacha Haworth argued voters must counter “the deep-pocketed infinite resources of Big Tech.” Critics also point to limited transparency around donor identities.

Politico

• “If they succeed—if tens of millions of dollars in attack ads can take out a candidate before he ever sets foot in Congress—a chilling effect will sweep into every statehouse and every congressional office in the country,” — Alex Bores, *The Nation* op-ed

The Hill

• “This is the first congressional race in the country where the dividing line is: can the public stand up to the powerful and protect people from threats like AI, or will the most powerful billionaires in this country win again?” — Alex Bores, campaign memo

Politico

• “This project of trying to destroy a candidate like Alex, I think, will probably die in New York 12 as well, even if Alex loses the race, because the reason that is so expensive and they had to spend so much is because they’ve helped him as much as hurt him,” — Brad Carson, former U.S. Representative

Politico

• “for a transparent, national AI framework that serves workers, families, and the country.” — Josh Vlasto, Leading the Future spokesperson

Politico

• “ Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg, another major contender for the seat,said in an interview with Vanity Fairthat when it comes to AI, there should be “disinterested regulators, not those who have been bankrolled by one company and not another.” — Jack Schlossberg, candidate

Politico

• “We want to be explicit: No outside political group speaks for OpenAI or represents our company’s views,” — OpenAI, official statement

Politico

Sources differ on total AI-related spending, citing $20 million and $26 million respectively. The exact allocation of Anthropic’s $20 million donation remains opaque due to its “restricted” status. No post-primary data are yet available on voter turnout or the relative salience of AI issues among the electorate.

AI Super PACs Pour Millions into Midterms

The primary outcome will reveal whether AI-industry spending can outweigh grassroots safety advocacy in a high-profile district. A Bores victory could reinforce state-level AI safeguards and shape the pending federal AI framework; a Lasher or Schlossberg win may shift momentum toward lighter regulation. The race will be closely watched as the 2026 midterms unfold.

CNBC