Micah Lasher won New York’s 12th congressional district Democratic primary with 39.1% of the vote, defeating eight candidates. His victory came amid a record-breaking $26.3 million in ad spending, making it the second-most expensive House primary in history. Lasher, a critic of Silicon Valley’s push for lighter AI regulation, vowed not to take cues from major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. His opponent, Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee, advocated for stronger AI safeguards but lost with 35% of the vote.
The race became a proxy battle over AI policy, with competing tech factions funding opposing candidates. Think Big, a super PAC backed by OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, spent $8 million opposing Bores. Meanwhile, AI safety groups spent over $20 million supporting him. Lasher’s campaign highlighted concerns about AI’s impact on jobs, inequality, and energy consumption, while Bores emphasized his technical expertise and safety-focused platform.
The high-stakes contest underscores a growing divide within the tech industry over AI regulation. Lasher’s victory signals a potential shift in Washington’s approach to AI oversight, though the policy implications remain uncertain.