AI super PAC spending boosts Alex Bores in New York NY-12 race

In short: Big money groups tied to major AI companies tried to stop Alex Bores in New York’s NY-12 Democratic primary, but their ads may have made him more popular.

What's going on

A New York City Democratic primary race is turning into a high-profile fight about who should set the rules for AI. The Verge reports that OpenAI and Anthropic, two major AI companies, are backing opposing political efforts tied to this contest.

Since late 2025, a super PAC called Leading the Future has spent heavily attacking Alex Bores, a New York state assemblyman running in NY-12. A super PAC is a political group that can raise and spend unlimited money, as long as it does not coordinate directly with a campaign. The Verge says Leading the Future is funded by executives connected to OpenAI, Palantir, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and it has spent an estimated $2.4 million on anti-Bores ads.

Bores is known for supporting AI regulation, including writing the RAISE Act, a New York state law signed in December that put limits on the release of “frontier” AI models (the newest and most powerful systems). His campaign told The Verge it only made its first New York ad buy on May 11, just weeks before the June 23 primary.

Instead of making Bores disappear, the ads appear to have increased his name recognition. A recent Emerson College poll showed Bores close behind another candidate, Micah Lasher, and other polling has shown Bores leading at times. The story compares this to the Streisand effect, when trying to hide something ends up drawing more attention to it (like telling everyone not to look at something).

What to watch

If the spending continues, AI rules could stay in the spotlight in a race that would normally be mostly local. The outcome may also signal how much influence AI companies can buy in elections, and whether negative ads can backfire.

Source: The Verge AI