AI super PAC spending reached a record $79 million across 68 House and Senate seats this election cycle, but the industry’s biggest general-election bets largely failed to deliver victories.
The spending was concentrated early, including more than $40 million in outside money poured into New York’s 12th District Democratic primary in June. Assemblymember Alex Bores, who co-authored New York’s RAISE Act, was defeated after Leading the Future spent more than $8.1 million opposing him, while Public First spent about $15 million backing him.
The contest became the most expensive House primary of the cycle. Bores is now looking towards 2028 through a new non-profit, Who Decides, which aims to raise $30 million.
AI super PAC spending falls quiet
After the primary battles, spending by the groups fell sharply. Leading the Future had spent only $7.4 million on general-election races by October 26, despite its network holding $34 million in cash.
The industry was divided between two broad political camps. Leading the Future, funded largely by Andreessen Horowitz co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, as well as OpenAI president Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, each received $25 million from the four donors.
The network favours lighter regulation and a single national standard for artificial intelligence. It operates through Think Big for Democratic candidates and American Mission for Republicans.
Public First backs stronger safeguards and campaigns through Jobs and Democracy for Democrats and Defending Our Values for Republicans.
The election results showed a mixed record for both networks, with most of the Republicans they supported losing as Democrats benefited from a broader national wave.
In South Carolina, Republican Darline Graham was defeated by Democrat Annie Andrews, who won 51.1 per cent to 46.7 per cent. American Mission and Building the Future, a pro-data-centre super PAC, spent $4.8 million supporting Graham — the industry’s largest general-election investment in a competitive race.
Ms Andrews used the spending against her opponent, referring to her as “Data Center Darline”.
Republican senator Pete Ricketts held his Nebraska seat against independent Dan Osborn, winning 50.3 per cent to 43.7 per cent. Defending Our Values spent about $274,000 supporting Mr Ricketts.
House candidates backed by the networks
In Florida’s 25th District, Democratic representative Jared Moskowitz defeated Republican Scott Singer by 51.5 per cent to 46.4 per cent. Think Big spent about $260,000 supporting Mr Moskowitz, while Defending Our Values spent about $857,000 backing Mr Singer.
Democrats also prevailed in several other contests where the networks had invested. In Ohio’s 7th District, Brian Poindexter defeated Republican representative Max Miller, 54.9 per cent to 45.1 per cent, with Jobs and Democracy spending about $570,000 in support of the Democrat.
Johnny Garcia defeated Republican Carlos De La Cruz in Texas’s 35th District, taking 55.4 per cent of the vote. Defending Our Values had spent nearly $1.5 million backing Mr De La Cruz.
In Pennsylvania’s 7th District, Democrat Bob Brooks defeated Republican representative Ryan Mackenzie, 56.1 per cent to 43.9 per cent. Jobs and Democracy spent about $263,000 supporting Mr Brooks.
Alabama Democrat Shomari Figures also won, defeating Republican Rhett Marques by 53.8 per cent to 46.2 per cent. Defending Our Values had spent about $975,000 on Mr Marques’s campaign.
In Texas’s 9th District, Republican Alex Mealer conceded to Democrat Leticia Gutierrez, who led 57.5 per cent to 42.5 per cent. Defending Our Values spent about $647,000 supporting Mr Mealer, while the Trump-aligned No Going Back super PAC spent more than $543,000.
American Mission-backed candidates also conceded in Montana’s 1st District and North Carolina’s 1st District. Democrat Sam Forstag led Republican Aaron Flint by 51.5 per cent to 45.7 per cent in Montana, after the Republican conceded.
In North Carolina, Democratic representative Don Davis led Republican Laurie Buckhout by about 50.1 per cent to 46.8 per cent after Ms Buckhout conceded. American Mission spent $590,000 supporting Mr Flint and $509,000 backing Ms Buckhout.
Republican Jace Yarbrough was ahead of Democrat Dan Barrios in Texas’s 32nd District, 51.5 per cent to 48.5 per cent, with American Mission spending about $129,000 on his behalf. The race had not been formally called at the time of the figures.
The Republican exceptions included Mr Ricketts in Nebraska and Harriet Hageman in Wyoming, who was also backed by American Mission. Overall, however, the results suggested that the spending networks were unable to overcome the wider Democratic momentum on election night.
