Anthropic-Backed Super PAC Invests $450K to Support NY Candidate Targeted by Rival AI Industry Group

20.02.2026

A political action committee funded by Anthropic has entered New York's 12th congressional district race with a $450,000 investment to support Assembly member Alex Bores, who has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over AI regulation and industry influence in politics.

Public First Action, a PAC that received a $20 million donation from Anthropic, is backing Bores after he became the target of aggressive opposition from Leading the Future, a rival pro-AI super PAC. The industry-backed committee has already deployed $1.1 million in attack advertisements against Bores, primarily due to his sponsorship of New York's RAISE Act.

Leading the Future has raised over $100 million from prominent technology sector investors and executives, including:

• Andreessen Horowitz
• OpenAI President Greg Brockman
• AI search platform Perplexity
• Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale

The conflict highlights a fundamental divergence in approaches to AI governance within the technology industry. While both PACs identify as pro-AI, they advocate for distinctly different regulatory frameworks.

Public First Action promotes a vision centered on transparency, safety standards, and public oversight of artificial intelligence systems. This contrasts sharply with the approach favored by Leading the Future, which has opposed regulatory measures that would impose disclosure requirements on AI developers.

The controversy centers on the RAISE Act, legislation that mandates major AI developers to disclose safety protocols and report serious misuse incidents involving their systems. The bill represents one of the most significant state-level attempts to establish accountability frameworks for AI development.

Bores has maintained a defiant stance throughout the campaign, welcoming the political challenge despite the significant financial resources arrayed against his congressional bid.

Sources:
Anthropic News - Public First Action Donation
Bloomberg - Anthropic-Backed Group Enters NY Congressional Race

Tags: Anthropic AI governance AI Regulation political action committees RAISE Act

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