AI safety advocates make gains after $110 million midterm fight

Demonstrators against artificial intelligence hold a protest in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. | BLOOMBERG

Nov 8, 2026

Candidates who favor stricter oversight of artificial intelligence racked up wins in key congressional races, aided by a pro-regulation political funding group backed in part by Anthropic at a time when Americans are increasingly uneasy over the rapidly developing technology.

Public First, funded by Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei and other AI safety advocates, poured more than $63 million into the midterms to promote candidates aligned with its goal of stricter regulation, according to the group’s numbers.

The architects of two of the country’s most sweeping state-level AI laws — Colorado’s Manny Rutinel and California’s Scott Wiener — will be among the incoming U.S. House members elected with help from Public First, bringing energy and expertise to Congress. Ten of the 17 congressional candidates the group backed were elected.

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