New York Assemblyman Micah Lasher secured the Democratic nomination in Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District on June 23, capturing a seat that drew an unusual flood of outside spending tied to the artificial intelligence industry’s battle over tech regulation.
Why It Matters
The Manhattan primary became a flashpoint in the national debate over AI regulation, with competing super PACs pouring roughly $15 million combined into the race over a state assembly member’s stance on tech oversight. The outcome signals that AI industry interests are now willing to spend heavily in Democratic primaries to shape congressional seats long before a general election.
What Happened
Lasher, who has worked at various points for retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, entered the race with a formidable institutional backing. All three endorsed his candidacy, and an allied group funded primarily by Bloomberg spent heavily on his behalf.
The candidate leaned into his decades-long presence in the district and his legislative record in Albany. He also made opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration policies a central theme of his campaign.
The primary field was unusually high-profile. Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy and making his first bid for public office, entered the race with an endorsement from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi but finished a distant third. George Conway, a former Republican attorney and prominent Trump critic, also competed in the contest.
The candidate who drove the most outside spending was Assemblyman Alex Bores, whose work on AI regulation made him a target. The Think Big super PAC, affiliated with a group called Leading the Future and backed by OpenAI leaders and venture capitalists, spent at least $8 million in opposition to Bores, arguing his proposed regulatory framework would “handcuff” innovation. On the other side, the Jobs and Democracy PAC — supported by Anthropic — spent nearly $7 million defending him. Despite the dueling investment, Bores did not prevail.
Lasher is considered a heavy favorite in the November general election in the heavily Democratic Manhattan district, which was previously held by Nadler.
By the Numbers
- $8 million — spent by Think Big super PAC against Bores, funded by OpenAI-linked donors
- $7 million — spent by Jobs and Democracy PAC, backed by Anthropic, to defend Bores
- 4 candidates — competed in the Democratic primary, including a Kennedy descendant and a former Republican lawyer
- June 23, 2026 — primary date
Zoom Out
The 12th District race is part of a broader pattern of AI and tech interests intervening in congressional primaries across the country, as companies and investors seek to influence the composition of the next Congress ahead of anticipated federal legislation on artificial intelligence. The clash between OpenAI-aligned and Anthropic-aligned money in a single Manhattan district underscores how divided the industry itself remains on the question of regulation.
The New York primary season has seen significant movement among incumbents and institution-backed candidates alike. Progressive candidates aligned with New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani also ousted multiple House incumbents in separate primaries this cycle, reflecting ongoing factional competition within the state Democratic Party.
What’s Next
Lasher will face the Republican nominee in November’s general election. Given the deep partisan lean of Manhattan’s 12th District, he is broadly expected to win the seat. Once in Congress, his positions on both AI policy and immigration enforcement will be closely watched, particularly given the expensive proxy battle that played out over his rival’s regulatory proposals. Whether the AI industry’s primary-season strategy produces any measurable legislative effect will likely become clearer once the new Congress is seated in January 2027.