AI Industry's $27 Million Political Bet: New York Primary Results in Near-Death for Tech-Regulation Champion
AI Industry's Political Spending Lands in Near-Miss
A high-stakes congressional primary in New York's 12th District has concluded with a narrow loss for Assemblyman Alex Bores, a former tech industry employee who had successfully championed the RAISE Act—a bill implementing guardrails and safety requirements on frontier AI companies that was signed into state law last year.
The race became a focal point for AI industry political influence, with total spending reaching approximately $27 million. Anthropic and OpenAI both poured resources into the contest, treating it as a proxy battle over the future of AI regulation in Washington. Bores faced particular opposition from Leading the Future, a $100 million super PAC that opposed his regulatory approach to the AI sector.
Despite the substantial backing from AI companies seeking more favorable regulatory conditions, Bores managed to make the race competitive, ultimately losing to Micah Lasher, who will succeed Rep. Jerry Nadler in representing the district.
The outcome suggests that even well-funded industry opposition may not be sufficient to easily unseat candidates with established positions on AI governance, though the substantial spending indicates the sector's growing willingness to engage directly in political contests.