Primaries Test Trump, Mamdani, AI Industry Influence

Primaries Draw Attention to AI Industry Spending, Mamdani Endorsements, and Trump Backing

Two segments of the artificial intelligence industry have directed substantial spending into a Democratic primary contest for a U.S. House seat in New York. One group, backed by investors in OpenAI, has spent more than $7 million on advertisements opposing New York Assemblyman Alex Bores. Another set of political groups, partly funded by Anthropic, has spent more than $10 million supporting Bores.

Bores, a former Palantir employee who has cited ethical concerns for leaving the company, sponsored a state-level AI regulation bill that drew opposition from some industry organizations. He has presented the legislation as an example of the regulatory approach he would take if elected to Congress. Anthropic, developer of the Claude chatbot, was co-founded by Dario Amodei, who previously worked at OpenAI and has expressed concerns about AI safety. The New York primary is one of several contests scheduled for Tuesday in Maryland, New York, South Carolina, and Utah.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has endorsed multiple Democratic candidates whose positions align with his own. These candidates are running against more established figures, some of whom hold support from party leadership. In the district that includes lower Manhattan and part of Brooklyn, U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman faces Brad Lander, the former city comptroller. Lander has criticized Goldman over his positions on the conflict in Gaza. In the district represented by U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, 71, Mamdani has backed Darializa Avila Chevalier, 32, a democratic socialist who works at a public defender’s office and has not previously held elected office. For the seat covering portions of Brooklyn and Queens being vacated by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Mamdani endorsed Assemblymember Claire Valdez, also a democratic socialist. Velázquez has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

President Donald Trump has endorsed both candidates remaining in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial runoff. He initially endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in May and added his endorsement of state Attorney General Alan Wilson on Friday. In a social media post, Trump stated that he could not “hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other” and described the choice as “a Wealth of Riches.” The winner of the runoff will therefore carry Trump’s endorsement. Earlier this month, two candidates Trump had endorsed in Republican gubernatorial primaries in Georgia and Iowa were defeated.

Utah’s Democratic primaries have drawn added interest following redistricting that created a heavily Democratic district centered on Salt Lake City. Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams, who defeated a Republican incumbent in 2018 while describing himself as pro-life and moderate, now faces three opponents who have advanced more progressive platforms. McAdams has pledged support for abortion rights and described himself as “moderate in tone.” Among his challengers are state Sen. Nate Blouin, who has received support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, and political newcomer Liban Mohamed.

In Maryland, Republicans are selecting a nominee from a field of nine candidates to challenge Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, who is seeking reelection. One candidate is attorney Dan Cox, who ran for governor four years ago and has focused on tax cuts and housing affordability. Another is Ed Hale, owner of the Baltimore Blast soccer team and a retired banking executive, who switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican before entering the race. Former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan completed two terms while advancing a moderate platform in the Democratic-leaning state.

The New York contest involving Bores is expected to indicate the relative influence of differing approaches within the AI sector on electoral outcomes. The three Democratic primaries in New York may also clarify the extent of Mamdani’s reach in local races and the level of voter support for candidates identifying as democratic socialists. In Utah, the new district lines have prompted candidates to adjust their messaging on issues such as abortion policy and relations with Republican officeholders. Maryland’s Republican primary will determine whether the party can consolidate support behind a single nominee ahead of the general election against Moore.

Voters in the four states will decide these and other contests on Tuesday. The results will determine nominees for the November general election in several congressional and statewide races.