AI industry spends millions in New York primary as OpenAI and Anthropic battle over regulation

AI Industry Transforms Congressional Race Into Regulatory Battleground

The AI industry is demonstrating unprecedented political influence in Tuesday's primaries, particularly in a Manhattan congressional race that has become a proxy battle between two powerful industry factions. New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee who left citing ethical concerns, finds himself at the center of a multimillion-dollar campaign war over AI regulation1

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When Bores entered the race for the New York primary seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, political groups underwritten by investors in OpenAI spent more than $7 million on ads opposing his candidacy. The opposition stems from Bores' record of pushing one of the more sweeping state-level AI regulation bills in the country, which he now presents as a framework for congressional action1

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Anthropic Counters With $10 Million in Support

In response, an opposing wing more favorable to AI regulation mobilized significant resources. Political groups partly funded by Anthropic, the company behind chatbot Claude, spent more than $10 million to boost Bores' candidacy. Anthropic was co-founded by Dario Amodei, a former OpenAI employee who departed partly over AI safety concerns, making this primary election a measure of AI industry political power between competing visions for the sector's future2

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Zohran Mamdani Tests Progressive Coalition Strength

Source: AP

Beyond the AI industry showdown, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is testing his own political influence by backing progressive challengers in multiple primary elections. Mamdani endorsed three candidates from his political camp—a progressive and two democratic socialist insurgents—who are challenging more established candidates backed by party leadership1

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The Zohran Mamdani endorsements include Brad Lander, former comptroller challenging U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in a race focused heavily on the Gaza war; Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old democratic socialist challenging 71-year-old Rep. Adriano Espaillat; and Assemblymember Claire Valdez for the Brooklyn-Queens seat where Rep. Nydia Velázquez is retiring. These three primaries will help determine both Mamdani's clout and the viability of democratic socialist platforms in New York City2

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Trump Hedges Bets After Gubernatorial Losses

President Donald Trump, after watching his chosen candidates lose gubernatorial races in Georgia and Iowa this month, took an unusual approach to the South Carolina runoff by endorsing both candidates. Initially supporting Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in May, Trump added an endorsement for her opponent, state Attorney General Alan Wilson, on Friday, ensuring his endorsement record would claim victory regardless of the outcome1

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Utah Redistricting Creates Democratic Opportunity

Utah redistricting last year created a Democratic-leaning district centered on Salt Lake City, an unusual development in the staunchly red state. The shift has primary candidates competing over who stands farther left, forcing former U.S. representative Ben McAdams to shed his moderate reputation as he faces three progressive challengers. The race signals how Democratic primary voters will shape their party's direction in newly competitive territory2

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The combined spending of over $17 million in a single congressional primary elections race demonstrates how the AI industry has emerged as a major political force, with the outcome likely to influence how other candidates approach AI regulation in future campaigns.