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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Niamh Rowe

New York City House primary emerges as key battleground in ‘AI civil war’

Alex Bores, a Democrat from New York vying for a House seat, is fringed by activists during a ‘Get Out The Vote’ rally  in New York City.
Alex Bores, a Democrat from New York vying for a House seat, during a ‘Get Out The Vote’ rally on the first day of early voting for a primary election in New York City. Photograph: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The artificial intelligence industry is spending heavily in the 2026 midterms, hoping to secure influence over the technology’s first generation of legislation – and New York City’s primary has emerged as the key battleground.

AI-focused Super Pacs have raised over $100m this cycle, of which $49m has been spent so far, in dozens of congressional races across the country. Half of all spending has converged on a single Manhattan race: Tuesday’s Democratic primary in the district of NY-12.

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