A political group funded by Anthropic is backing New York Assembly member Alex Bores in a high-profile House race that’s turned into a proxy fight over how AI should be regulated. (As of Feb 2026.)
What we know
- Anthropic says it is contributing $20 million to Public First Action, describing it as a bipartisan 501(c)(4) focused on public education and policy engagement around AI governance.
- Bloomberg reports Public First Action’s Democratic arm is spending $450,000 to boost Alex Bores in New York’s 12th congressional district.
- Bloomberg also reports that Leading the Future, a rival super PAC, has already spent $1.1 million on TV ads and messages attacking Bores.
- Leading the Future has been reported as backed by more than $100 million from prominent tech investors and executives, including Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman.
- The dispute is tied to an ongoing policy fight over AI rules, including New York’s RAISE Act, which (per New York State) requires large AI developers to publish safety protocol information and to report AI incidents to the state within 72 hours of determining an incident occurred.
What’s not confirmed
- Whether Public First Action will expand spending beyond the reported $450,000 in NY-12, or move significant money into other specific races. (Watch for new filings, public statements, and follow-up reporting.)
- Whether Leading the Future will increase, pause, or redirect ad spending in response, and what the next wave of ad creative will claim. (Verify via ad libraries where available and reputable reporting.)
- How voters will respond, and whether this race becomes a durable template for AI-focused political spending in 2026. (This is outcome-dependent and can’t be stated as fact today.)
Timeline
- Aug 2025: TechCrunch reports Leading the Future’s pro-AI PAC network had backing of “more than $100 million,” including Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman.
- Dec 18, 2025: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announces she signed the RAISE Act, describing reporting and transparency requirements for large AI developers and establishing an oversight office within the Department of Financial Services.
- Feb 11, 2026: Anthropic publishes a statement saying it is donating $20 million to Public First Action.
- Feb 12, 2026: Reuters reports on Anthropic’s $20 million contribution to Public First Action and frames it as backing candidates who support regulating AI.
- Feb 19, 2026: Bloomberg reports Public First Action’s Democratic arm spending $450,000 for Bores and notes $1.1 million already spent attacking him by Leading the Future.
Impact and why it matters (analysis)
This isn’t just a normal “outside money” story—it’s a preview of how the AI policy debate may be fought in 2026: by funding competing political operations that reward different regulatory instincts (stronger public oversight vs. lighter-touch rules).
For readers tracking AI regulation, the practical signal is that state-level legislation like New York’s RAISE Act is becoming a political flashpoint, not just a policy document—so future changes may be driven as much by elections as by technical risk arguments.
Updates
Last updated: Feb 21, 2026.
How to verify future changes: Look for (1) follow-up reporting from outlets with campaign-finance reporters, (2) official statements from the groups involved, and (3) public campaign-finance filings that match the spending claims.
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