AI power players pour cash into competitive primaries as 2026 midterms heat up

Fox News Digital has learned that the group, called Leading the Future, is infusing half a million dollars to launch an ad blitz in support of former Defense Department official Laurie Buckhout, who is running in next month's GOP primary in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District in the race to challenge incumbent Democratic Rep. Donald Davis. They emphasized, "It is critical that we identify and support lawmakers who recognize the urgency of this moment and the responsibility policymakers have to enact a national regulatory framework that ensures the United States remains the global leader in AI innovation, wins the race against China and protects the safety of kids, users and communities." Among the other AI-world initial contributors to Leading the Future are Joe Lonsdale, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded companies including Palantir Technologies, Addepar, and OpenGov, and co-founded and works as the managing partner at the technology investment firm 8VC, and Ron Conway, a venture capitalist and philanthropist who is co-founder of SV Angel.