WASHINGTON — Artificial intelligence companies are pouring millions into the 2026 midterm elections, with two major political action committees spending $44 million on 40 House and Senate candidates through the end of June. The early spending signals a push to influence AI bills moving through Congress, according to Federal Election Commission data.
The two groups have raised more than $200 million combined, with plans to spend across the remaining primary season and into the general election.
Lawmakers have introduced numerous bills and held extensive hearings on AI, driven by growing concerns about the capabilities and risks of powerful models. Passage of major legislation is not expected this year given limited session days, but both parties have identified AI as a priority for future sessions.
Public First Action, a nonprofit with multiple PACs, and Leading the Future are driving these efforts. Brad Carson leads Public First Action; Josh Vlasto co-leads Leading the Future. Both are pushing for a clear regulatory structure.
Carson said recognition is widespread across the political spectrum that AI models need government oversight. "They have a lot of benefits. They have a lot of dangers. And you can't just release them into the wild with no government concern," Carson said.
Vlasto said the window to act is narrow. "It is so important that we do this now and urgently, because it is still the early innings of the technology, but it is being adopted quickly, at scale," Vlasto said.
The PACs have posted strong primary records. Leading the Future backed 28 candidates; 25 won their primaries. Two candidates have elections still ahead, and one — Jesse Jackson Jr. — lost. Public First Action backed candidates in 11 races, with all but one winning their primaries.
Leading the Future also spent money against Alex Bores in New York's 12th Congressional District Democratic primary. Bores, who championed strict state-level AI guardrail laws, lost to Micah Lasher.
The strategy mirrors that of crypto-backed PACs in the 2024 elections. Fairshake, a prominent crypto PAC, spent $200 million supporting pro-crypto candidates across both parties. That spending coincided with passage of the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin law, and progress on the CLARITY Act, a digital assets market structure bill backed by companies including Coinbase and Ripple.
Leading the Future had spent more than $24 million on primary races through June. Public First Action plans to engage in 50 to 60 races by the end of the midterm cycle.
