# AI political groups clash in 2026 midterms over regulation spending

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-10-27T10:00:01Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/ai-political-groups-clash-in-2026-midterms-over-regulation-spending

## Summary

Silicon Valley’s AI-aligned political groups are battling each other in the 2026 midterms, with $8 million spent by pro-innovation camps versus $6.9 million by pro-safeguards groups, per CNBC’s analysis of FEC filings through October 20. The fight is most visible in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, where Think Big—a Democratic-aligned super PAC backed by Leading the Future—spent $310,000 supporting Democrat Jared Moskowitz, while Defending Our Values, a Republican-aligned group favoring stricter guardrails, dropped $857,000 to back Republican Scott Singer and $740,000 to block a primary opponent. Both sides agree on AI innovation but disagree on speed and regulatory scope, with stakes tied to shaping federal policy in the next Congress.

The divide traces back to Leading the Future’s $100 million launch in August 2025, funded by Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife Anna, and Joe Lonsdale. Its affiliated PACs spent over $500,000 each to elect three Republican primary winners in Texas and North Carolina. Anthropic countered with $40 million to Public First Action, though its funds are restricted to policy—not candidate races. A New York primary saw Think Big spend $8.3 million to defeat state Assemblymember Alex Bores (a safety advocate), while Anthropic-backed groups spent $15 million to support him. Bores lost, marking a tactical win for the innovation camp. Primary spending dominated: $26 million by Leading the Future and $32.1 million by safeguards groups, versus $8 million and $6.9 million in general-election races. Internal pushback at OpenAI and Meta’s $25 million refunds signal growing backlash.

## Key points

- Pro-innovation groups spent $8M in midterms vs. $6.9M by pro-safeguards camps, per FEC filings through October 20
- Think Big backed Democrat Jared Moskowitz with $310K in Florida’s 25th District; Defending Our Values spent $857K+ for Republican Scott Singer
- Anthropic donated $40M to Public First Action (policy-focused) while Leading the Future’s PACs spent $500K+ each to elect Republican primary winners

## Why it matters

The feud risks fracturing Silicon Valley’s political influence and may deter future spending, as public opposition to AI grows. Regulatory battles could stall policy progress or fragment oversight.

## Sources

1. [Silicon Valley AI political groups turn on each other in the 2026 election](https://cnbc.com/2026/10/27/ai-political-spending-silicon-valley-election.html) (CNBC Technology, 2026-10-27)

Part of the developing story: [AI Funding Battle Shapes US Elections](https://digestai.news/thread/us-campaigns-disclose-17m-in-ai-spending-since-2020) (4 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "AI political groups clash in 2026 midterms over regulation spending", 27 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/ai-political-groups-clash-in-2026-midterms-over-regulation-spending

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