AI-Linked Super PACs Pour $16 Million Into New York House Race
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 12
AI-Linked Super PACs Pour $16 Million Into New York House Race
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 12
Summary
More than $16 million from AI-linked super PACs and allied groups has flooded the final stretch of New York’s June 23 Democratic House primary, reshaping a race to replace retiring Representative Jerrold Nadler.
Over $12 million came from groups tied to OpenAI and Anthropic, which have saturated mailboxes and TV—including Knicks NBA Finals broadcasts—to influence both the contest and the debate over AI regulation.
Another $4 million from other industry-linked groups, plus a separate $10 million push by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg for Assemblyman Micah Lasher, could make the Manhattan race one of the costliest House contests ever.
The spending is also being cast as a test run for the midterms, when tech-backed groups are expected to deploy hundreds of millions of dollars in elections that could shape whether Congress imposes new AI guardrails.
As AI firms spend millions to write their own rules, can democracy keep pace with technology's influence?
With tech giants funding both for and against regulation, what does this internal clash mean for AI's future?
Can grassroots movements and new state laws successfully challenge the tidal wave of corporate money in elections?
Unprecedented Tech Industry Spending in NY-12: The Democratic Primary That Could Decide America’s AI Policy
Overview
As of June 2026, the Democratic primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District has become a major battleground, with an unprecedented spending war led by groups linked to the technology industry. This surge in spending, seen as a preview of even larger battles in the fall midterms, is aimed at influencing elections that could shape future congressional oversight and tech regulations. Assemblyman Alex Bores stands at the center of this debate, advocating for artificial intelligence regulation, which has drawn both significant support and criticism. The outcome of this race could set important precedents for AI policy and the influence of tech money in politics.