AI PACs spent millions on 2026 midterms with mixed results

AI industry political action committees spent millions on the 2026 midterms to influence AI regulation, yielding mixed results as several heavily backed candidates lost their races. Pro-industry PACs American Mission and Building the Future spent $4.8 million supporting South Carolina Senate candidate Darline Graham, who lost, plus over $500,000 each on losing House candidates Aaron Flint and Laurie Buckhout. Pro-regulation groups also saw mixed outcomes, with Guardrails Alliance spending over $1 million opposing two losing candidates and $300,000 supporting Angela Gonzales-Torres, who won. The broader Democratic wave complicated assessing AI spending's impact, and groups are already planning for 2028. Leading the Future prioritized primaries, spending $27.38 million there, while Guardrails Alliance aims to make AI industry money politically toxic by highlighting it in ads.