New York Lawmaker Faces AI Industry’s Super PAC Wrath in 2026 Election
A New York legislator, possessing a master’s degree in computer science and approaching a decade of immersion in the technology sector, has emerged as the central target for an artificial intelligence industry super PAC.
This organization, termed Leading the Future, boasts a formidable war chest exceeding $125 million, positioning itself as a key player in what is likely to become one of the most financially intense congressional primary contests of the 2026 midterm elections.
Alex Bores, an Assembly member in New York and a contender for the 12th Congressional District in Manhattan, has been identified by Leading the Future as its primary adversary.
This super PAC has mobilized over $100 million with the expressed purpose of endorsing policymakers who lean towards a lenient or minimalist regulatory framework for artificial intelligence.
The overarching objective of the PAC, which has raised an impressive $125 million, is to challenge candidates proposing AI legislation while championing those advocating for diminished oversight of the burgeoning industry.
Leading the Future’s financial engine is fueled by significant figures, including Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI, the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and the AI search platform Perplexity.
Notably, it also counts Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, a pivotal supporter of former President Donald Trump, among its notable benefactors.
The situation carries a poignant irony. Bores previously held a position at Palantir, a company now implicated in controversial activities such as high-volume deportations orchestrated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He disclosed to TechCrunch that his departure from Palantir in 2019 was a direct result of its collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Despite this, a super PAC, partially backed by one of Palantir’s co-founders, has unleashed attack advertisements targeting Bores, alleging he constructed and sold technology that underpins these deportations.
In response, Bores’ campaign has issued a cease-and-desist letter to an affiliated group, claiming the ads propagate false and defamatory accusations.
The core of the super PAC’s strategy revolves around Bores’ stance on AI oversight. He is the principal architect of New York’s bipartisan Responsible Artificial Intelligence Safety and Education (RAISE) Act.
This legislation mandates that large AI laboratories establish a safety plan aimed at mitigating critical risks, adhere to their outlined strategy, disclose significant safety incidents, and prohibit the release of models fraught with unreasonable risks.
Non-compliance could incur civil penalties reaching up to $30 million. The RAISE Act was enacted into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2025.
Bores has asserted that the industry has resolved to allocate no less than $10 million specifically against him.
“They’re targeting me to make an example of me,” he remarked, emphasizing that his technical acumen is precisely why he was selected as the initial target. “I possess an intricate understanding of the technology, and I cannot be easily dismissed.”
However, Bores’ campaign has garnered support in response to the onslaught. A super PAC named Public First Action, buoyed by a $20 million contribution from Anthropic, is investing $450,000 to amplify Bores’ presence in the competitive landscape, promoting a vision of artificial intelligence grounded in transparency, safety protocols, and public oversight.
A Gallup poll conducted last year revealed that 80 percent of Americans favor the implementation of AI safety standards, albeit at the potential cost of slower technological advancement.
If successful, Bores would become only the second Democrat in Congress possessing a computer science degree, a distinction that not only enhances his credibility as a proponent of regulation but also marks him as a significant political concern for the industry.
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