Democrats eyeing November’s midterms now face pressure from a pro‑AI coalition that has poured almost $300 million into state and local races. Party strategists warn that courting the industry could backfire, even though internal polls show voters favor stricter AI rules. The warning follows a surge of super‑PAC money from Silicon Valley names like Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI founder Greg Brockman.

In New York, Alex Bores—who helped draft the state’s AI safety bill—has drawn fire from Leading the Future, a super‑PAC that has raised $125 million from venture capital and tech donors. Bores, backed by two other AI‑aligned PACs, has also received support from Anthropic, the startup pushing tougher industry standards. Only a handful of Democrats, including Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El‑Sayed, have made AI a campaign focus.

Campaign advisers say the cash influx creates a chilling effect, prompting candidates to avoid AI debate even as Republicans criticize the Trump administration’s embrace of the technology. The industry’s spending spree, mirroring crypto PAC tactics, has already flipped several races, yet election outcomes remain unpredictable. For now, Democratic hopefuls must balance voter demand for regulation with the risk of alienating a powerful money‑backed lobby.