Four Democrats Battle for Nadler's NY-12 Seat as $12 Million AI Spending Jolts Primary
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 20
Four Democrats Battle for Nadler's NY-12 Seat as $12 Million AI Spending Jolts Primary
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 20
Summary
June 23's Democratic primary in New York's safely blue 12th District has narrowed to four leading contenders after Jerrold Nadler's retirement opened a rare Manhattan vacancy.
Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg and George Conway are competing on sharply different pitches—experience, AI regulation, generational appeal and anti-Trump combativeness—while polling has swung between candidates.
About $12 million in outside money has turned Bores into a proxy fight between AI rivals, with groups tied to OpenAI's Greg Brockman spending $6.2 million against him and Anthropic-backed forces spending a similar amount for him.
Fundraising and endorsements have added to the volatility: Conway led with $6.6 million raised as of June 3, Schlossberg had $3.9 million, Nadler endorsed Lasher, and Nancy Pelosi backed Schlossberg.
The race is now being watched as a test of what Democratic voters want late in the Trump era—youth or résumé, single-issue policy focus or celebrity-style anti-Trump politics.
With millions spent on AI ads, is this election about policy or a corporate proxy war?
Does a famous name or a long resume matter more to voters in today's political climate?
In a district of billionaires and renters, whose vision for Manhattan’s future will ultimately prevail?
NY-12’s $10 Million AI Showdown: Tech Money, Undecided Voters, and the Fight for Congressional Control
Overview
As the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District approaches, the race has intensified and drawn national attention. This powerful Manhattan district has become a focal point where politics, emerging technology, and outside money intersect. Record-breaking spending by AI and crypto companies has defined the contest, with candidates working hard in the final days to sway uncommitted voters and solidify their support. Uncertainty among AI firms about how to approach candidate Alex Bores highlights the growing influence and complexity of tech money in shaping the outcome of this high-stakes election.