AI Super PACs Dropped $79 Million. Most of Their Candidates Lost

AI super PACs spent $79 million across 68 House and Senate seats this cycle — a record — and most of the candidates they backed in competitive races still lost, according to Tech Influence Watch's 2026 election guide.

The biggest fight came early. In June's Democratic primary for New York's 12th District, Leading the Future spent more than $8.1 million against Assemblymember Alex Bores, co-author of New York's RAISE Act, while Public First spent roughly $15 million defending him. More than $40 million in outside money made it the most expensive House primary of the cycle. Bores lost.

Then the money went quiet. As of Oct. 26, Leading the Future had spent just $7.4 million on general-election races despite holding $34 million in cash on hand across its network, according to The Intercept's analysis of FEC data.

Who funds the two AI camps?

The industry splits into two networks. Leading the Future, backed by $25 million each from Andreessen Horowitz co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen and another $25 million from OpenAI president Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, according to FEC filings, wants light regulation and a single national AI standard, Axios reported. It spends through Think Big for Democrats and American Mission for Republicans.

Public First pushes stronger AI safeguards, according to Built In, spending through Jobs and Democracy for Democrats and Defending Our Values for Republicans.

How did the backed Senate candidates fare?

The results were rough for the industry.

• South Carolina: Annie Andrews (D) beat Darline Graham (R), 51.1%–46.7%, despite $4,801,981 from American Mission and Building the Future, a pro-data center super PAC, per Tech Influence Watch. Andrews branded her opponent "Data Center Darline."
• Nebraska: Pete Ricketts (R) held his seat against Dan Osborn (I), 50.3%–43.7%. Defending Our Values spent $274,485 for him, per Fortune's FEC analysis; OpenSecrets counted $262,625.

Which House bets paid off?

Nearly all the competitive-race spending missed.

• Florida's 25th: Jared Moskowitz (D) won, 51.5%–46.4%. Think Big spent $259,574 for him (CNBC reported $310,000); Defending Our Values spent $857,426 for Republican Scott Singer, per Fortune's FEC analysis.
• Montana's 1st: Aaron Flint (R) conceded to Sam Forstag (D), who led 51.5%–45.7%. American Mission spent $590,428 for Flint.
• North Carolina's 1st: Laurie Buckhout (R) conceded to Don Davis (D), who led about 50.1%–46.8%. American Mission spent $509,067 for Buckhout.
• Texas' 32nd: Jace Yarbrough (R) led Dan Barrios (D) 51.5%–48.5%, uncalled by the AP as of Wednesday morning. American Mission spent $129,367 for him.
• Ohio's 7th: Brian Poindexter (D) beat Rep. Max Miller (R), 54.9%–45.1%, with $570,204 from Jobs and Democracy.
• Texas' 35th: Johnny Garcia (D) beat Carlos De La Cruz (R), 55.4%–44.6%, despite $1,492,321 from Defending Our Values for De La Cruz.
• Pennsylvania's 7th: Bob Brooks (D) beat Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R), 56.1%–43.9%, backed by $263,250 from Jobs and Democracy.
• Alabama's 2nd: Rep. Shomari Figures (D) beat Rhett Marques (R), 53.8%–46.2%. Defending Our Values spent $974,908 for Marques; OpenSecrets reported $959,908.
• Texas' 9th: Alex Mealer (R) conceded to Leticia Gutierrez (D), who led 57.5%–42.5%. Defending Our Values spent $647,075 for Mealer, and Trump-aligned No Going Back spent more than $543,000, per the Houston Chronicle.

The pattern: AI money couldn't beat the night's broader Democratic wave. Winners backed by the networks were mostly Democrats riding their party's national momentum. Most Republicans the networks supported lost, including Graham — the industry's largest general-election wager. Exceptions included Ricketts and Sen.-elect Harriet Hageman in Wyoming, whom American Mission backed.

Bores, whose primary loss ignited the AI spending war, is already building his next move. His new nonprofit, Who Decides, aims to raise $30 million before 2028.

For an industry that poured record millions into politics, the 2026 returns suggest cash buys fights, not victories — and the 2028 round starts now.