Alex Bores, a New York congressional candidate who argued for AI safeguards, lost to Micah Lasher in the Democratic primary that had millions in AI PAC spending
NBC News projects that Lasher, who was backed by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, emerged from a crowded field in the Manhattan-based 12th District.
NBC NewsBen Kamisar
Context & Ripple Effects
Bores’ campaign had already become a visible proxy fight over AI policy: related coverage described the pro-AI Leading the Future super PAC attacking him while he ran as a pro-regulation Democrat. Other coverage showed countervailing support from Ripple executive Chris Larsen, underscoring that AI-related interests were financing both sides of the contest.
The primary result ends Bores’ congressional bid while elevating Lasher, who also had the backing of retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler. It is a consequential test case for how AI policy positions and AI-linked outside spending are entering Democratic primaries, though the available record does not establish that PAC spending determined the outcome.
First-order effects
Bores loses a potential House platform from which he had advocated AI safeguards; Lasher becomes the Democratic nominee in the Manhattan-based 12th District.
The contest closes with millions in AI-PAC spending having been deployed around a candidate identified with AI regulation, making the spending itself a prominent part of the race’s political record.
Second-order effects
Pro-regulation candidates and their backers are likely to treat the Bores race as evidence that AI policy can attract organized outside opposition, even if this result alone cannot isolate the spending’s electoral effect.
AI-focused PACs gain a concrete, high-profile precedent for intervening in Democratic primaries, while candidates may face greater scrutiny of their industry employment and ties when AI becomes a campaign issue.
Third-order effects
If similar contests recur, AI governance could become a durable campaign-finance battlefield, with sector-aligned PACs shaping which policy arguments are politically viable before legislation reaches Congress.
The longer-term implication is not necessarily a uniform anti-regulatory outcome: competing AI-linked funders were active here, suggesting that electoral influence may increasingly be contested within the technology sector as well as between industry and its critics.
The trend: AI policy is moving from a specialist legislative debate into an organized electoral contest, with AI-linked money and candidate positioning becoming part of primary politics.
Micah Lasher has won the Democratic primary in #NY12, the dark-blue open seat being vacated by Jerrold Nadler. He's edging out Alex Bores 39-35%. Jack Schlossberg is all the way back at 11%.
Alex Bores on the AI industry fighting him: “I didn't get in this race to make a point about AI. But some of the most powerful people on the planet — a handful of oligarchs hellbent on preventing any regulation of their industry whatsoever, any check on their power, the very
Breaking: Alex Bores loses to Micah Lasher, capping off the second most expensive House primary in history. Nearly $28 million was spent in support/ against Bores in what became a proxy war between AI safety groups & industry.
Alex Bores, conceding in NY-12, tells his son from the stage: “I want you to know that your dad got in this fight for you. So the biggest technology in the history of the world works for you, and not just for the few people who can afford to own it.”
Total spend in Alex Bores race, per final FEC filings: Anthropic-linked Jobs and Democracy PAC, backing Bores: $13.1 million OpenAI-linked Think Big, opposing Bores: $8.1 million
A big cheer for Alex Bores after NY-12 is called for Micah Lasher. Bores, to his credit, comes out almost immediately. Council Member Justin Sanchez is introducing him first. [video]
“While we came up short, we made a mark that won't soon be forgotten,” Alex Bores says in concession speech. He congratulates Micah Lasher, someone in the back of the room yells “no!” and Bores calls back “yes.” [video]
NEWS: Assemblyman Micah Lasher has won the Democratic primary for Congress in NY-12, defeating a crowded field to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler. — Lasher, who was backed by Nadler, prevailed over Assemblyman Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway. [image]
My only real contribution to the NYC election discourse is that I really liked Alex Bores when he came on my show. Seems like he's going to fall short with all the money the AI groups spent against him, but I look forward to seeing what he does next. Really smart guy.
Alex Bores lost his NY-12 race, which turned into a high profile debate about AI. But it's tricky to unpick exactly why he lost — or who can claim victory. Our take for @ReadTransformer: [image]
Alex Bores loses his primary by a modest margin. Strong showing for an outsider candidate. Seems likely that ‘Leading The Future’ going after him helped rather than hurt his campaign. And LTF has probably figured that out too. [image]
Shout out to Bores-heads who fought hard in the NY-12 primary Winning would've been better but it was close against a governor/Bloomberg-backed candidate with a Kennedy dude splitting the vote It's clear that being the pro AI regulation candidate helped, which is a key takeaway
Alex Bores in concession speech addresses “oligarchs hellbent on preventing any regulation” of AI: “This was a huge and unprecedented fight, and we did not back down. While we came up short tonight, the example set here tonight was very much not the one they intended.” “They
Lasher is heavily favored in NY-12 right now, but I have a lot of respect for Alex Bores running and doing as well as he did. Don't agree with him on everything, but AI regulation is important and we need more talent in Congress thinking about it.
If Bores loses, then other Dems will shut up about regulating AI to avoid getting swamped by dark $$. But if Dems don't seize the opportunity to run on AI, they'll be squandering the biggest political opportunity of a generation. This is why NY-12 matters so much for 2028
Going to do another embarrassing pivot here and make the case this should have been a blowout election, he had basically every endorsement you can dream of in NY-12. The big AI companies overplaying their hand is what got Bores onto the stage in the first place!
New York Congressional candidate Alex Bores says he welcomes socialism in the Democratic party: BURNETT: “Do you think that the rise in Democratic Socialists and Democratic Socialism as a concept is a good thing?” BORES: “I welcome activists becoming a part of this process...” [v…
The trouble with talking up these longshot candidates as a bellwether for “who is winning” is that it can backfire badly in the (likely) event that your side loses. This race was something of an obsession for many AI safety advocates on this site, and perhaps a distraction. More