Anthropic-funded group backs candidate attacked by rival AI super PAC

https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/20/anthropic-funded-group-backs-candidate-attacked-by-rival-ai-super-pac/

Rebecca Bellan Feb 20, 2026 · 1 min read
Anthropic-funded group backs candidate attacked by rival AI super PAC
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Late last year, New York Assembly member Alex Bores became the target of a campaign by a pro-AI super PAC to thwart his congressional bid. The group, Leading the Future, is armed with more than $100 million from backers including Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, AI search startup Perplexity, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale.

Bores’ response was simple: bring it on. Now, he’s got the muscle to back that challenge up.

Public First Action, a PAC backed by a $20 million donation from Anthropic, is spending $450,000 to boost Bores in the race for New York’s 12th congressional district, reports Bloomberg. Like its rival, the committee is pro-AI, but it’s pitching a different vision, one centered on transparency, safety standards, and public oversight.