Crypto
04 May 2026
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Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 Discover why it matters *
Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026, investing $3.5M to shield his AI-safety agenda and reshape race
Crypto investor Chris Larsen just poured $3.5 million into a new super PAC that backs New York Assemblymember Alex Bores in the crowded NY-12 Democratic primary. The move — Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 — turns a Manhattan House race into a fight over AI rules, big money, and who sets the guardrails for fast-growing tech.
You Can Push Back (funded by Chris Larsen) — $3.5 million
Jobs and Democracy PAC (backed by Anthropic) — about $1 million
Other smaller groups tied to AI safety advocates
– Opposition to Bores:
Think Big (linked to leaders at OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz) — $2+ million against Bores
OpenAI’s official line: the company itself did not fund anti-Bores PACs, even if some executives gave personally. That matters because it shows a divide between corporate policy statements and political spending by tech leaders. It also shows how messy the AI debate is: you can be for safety and still push back on certain laws.
Micah Lasher, a state lawmaker and former top aide to Michael Bloomberg
Jack Schlossberg, a Kennedy family member who speaks often about the danger of super PAC cash
George Conway, a former Republican and prominent lawyer
Michael Bloomberg has already put $5 million into a pro-Lasher super PAC called Stand For New York. That PAC has spent nearly all of it on the race. Nadler endorsed Lasher. Internal polls suggest Schlossberg holds a slight lead. Public polling is scarce, and heavy ad spending could shift fast.
Stronger rules for frontier AI models, including testing and reporting
Clearer standards for child safety, content filters, and age checks
More funding for AI safety research and for federal agencies that enforce rules
New worker support, training, or wage insurance if automation hits jobs
If candidates backed by pro-growth PACs prevail, the agenda might look different:
Light-touch oversight focused on innovation speed
Liability shields or safe harbors to reduce legal risk for startups
Broader latitude for AI deployment in schools, health, and defense
Ad tone and targeting: Do fear-based child safety ads move urban voters? Do growth ads land with startup workers and young professionals?
Spending pace: Think Big, Stand For New York, and You Can Push Back will likely surge near early voting. Watch for last-minute digital blitzes.
Public polls: There are few. Any credible, independent survey will matter more than a single ad cycle.
Debates and forums: Clear exchanges on the RAISE Act, child protections, and model testing could shift undecided voters.
Endorsements: Nadler’s nod to Lasher helps. Labor, tech worker groups, and educators could still shape the narrative.
What happened: Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026
A new super PAC called You Can Push Back, funded with $3.5 million from Ripple cofounder Chris Larsen, is supporting Alex Bores, a Democrat running to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th District. Larsen says he stepped in to counter attacks from pro-industry groups tied to leading AI executives. He argues the race is a proxy fight over how tough AI safety rules should be. The PAC’s first TV ad focuses on child safety risks from AI. It shows a child on a screen and warns about violent content and predators. The ad claims OpenAI opposes AI safety laws. OpenAI says it did not fund the PACs hitting Bores and notes its leaders have backed strong child safety rules. That dispute shows how divisive AI policy has become inside the tech world. Bores helped pass New York’s AI safety RAISE Act. His record won allies who want guardrails but drew fire from Think Big, a pro-AI growth super PAC linked to leaders at OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz. Think Big has already spent more than $2 million on ads against Bores, according to federal filings. Two pro-regulation groups, including Jobs and Democracy PAC backed by Anthropic, have spent about $1 million helping him.The money and the message
The Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 move places one of crypto’s biggest names on the side of stricter oversight. Larsen says the goal is to protect kids, jobs, and national security as AI speeds ahead. The ad’s tone is stark, and that is the point: push voters to see AI safety as urgent, not optional. Think Big frames Bores differently. Its spokespeople call him a vehicle for Anthropic and Effective Altruist donors. They say his allies want to “buy regulatory control.” That claim sets up a clear contrast: one side warns of risk; the other warns of capture. Voters must decide which threat they fear more.Why AI rules are on the ballot
AI is not only a tech story. It is a jobs story, a kids’ safety story, and a national security story. When New York passed the RAISE Act, Bores argued for guardrails that limit harm while keeping progress. That stance now defines this primary. The district sits at the center of media, finance, and startup life. Its next member of Congress could carry real weight in future AI bills.Alex Bores’ record in brief
– He served in the state Assembly and backed the AI safety RAISE Act. – He previously worked at Palantir, then criticized the company’s approach, which has become a flashpoint in Democratic races. – He pitches himself as pro-innovation but firm on safety, with rules for powerful models and stronger guardrails for kids.Who is backing and who is blasting
– Support for Bores:The NY-12 field and the stakes
New York’s 12th District is one of the bluest in America. The primary almost always picks the next member of Congress. This year’s race is wide open. Along with Bores, the top contenders include:How the district shapes the debate
NY-12 covers much of Manhattan. Voters here know finance, media, and tech. They read and watch a lot of political news. They are more likely than average to track AI stories and to react to arguments about child safety, deepfakes, or job automation. That makes this district a bellwether for how Democrats talk about AI — tough rules vs. growth-first policies — heading into 2026 and beyond.National ripple effects for tech and policy
Larsen says this is not a one-off. He also supports candidates like California State Senator Scott Wiener, who is running for the House seat that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will vacate. If donors like Larsen keep pushing, more primaries could turn into referendums on AI oversight. The Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 play may be a model: target key, safe Democratic seats where the primary winner will likely join Congress and shape AI law. What could change in Washington if candidates like Bores win?The tech split matters
The battle lines are not simple. OpenAI says it supports strong safety systems and kids’ protections. Yet a PAC linked to leaders tied to the company is attacking a lawmaker who wrote an AI safety bill. Anthropic, known for a more cautious stance, is funding a pro-Bores effort. Venture voices are split too. Some fear that rules will slow progress. Others fear that a lack of rules will invite disaster or social backlash that freezes the field later. Voters in NY-12 are now referees in that argument.What to watch next
Money and message will decide this race. Here are the key signals:Why this race is bigger than Manhattan
Congress still lacks a broad AI law. States are filling the gap. New York’s RAISE Act is one early blueprint. If a champion of that law wins a safe blue seat, others in Congress may copy the approach. If a critic of that law wins, the message could be that Democrats should slow or narrow state-style rules. Either way, donors and founders are learning that AI fights are now ballot fights. The outcome will say a lot about how Democrats want to balance speed and safety. It will also show whether voters punish or reward huge super PAC checks in a House primary. That is why the Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 decision is drawing national attention from investors, founders, and policy staff in Washington. In the end, this primary is a clear test of power: tech money, safety rules, or both. The district’s winner will likely go to Congress and help write the next chapter of AI policy. And that is why the phrase Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 keeps popping up in headlines: it captures a turning point where tech, politics, and public safety meet on the same ballot.For more news: Click Here
FAQ
Q: Who is Chris Larsen and what did he do in the NY-12 race?
A: Chris Larsen is a San Francisco billionaire and cofounder of Ripple who funneled $3.5 million into a new super PAC, You Can Push Back, to support Alex Bores in the NY-12 Democratic primary. The move — Chris Larsen backs Alex Bores 2026 — turned a Manhattan House race into a fight over AI rules and who sets the guardrails for fast-growing tech.
Q: Why did Chris Larsen say he was supporting Alex Bores?
A: Larsen said he stepped in to defend Bores against opposition from OpenAI and other industry players who targeted the lawmaker over his work on AI-safety regulations. He framed the primary as a proxy fight with national implications and said the effort aimed to protect kids, jobs, and national security as AI advances.
Q: What is You Can Push Back and what has it done so far?
A: You Can Push Back is a new super PAC funded by Larsen’s $3.5 million contribution to support Bores, and it launched its first TV ad in the race. The ad focuses on child safety risks from AI, depicting a child on a handheld screen and warning about violent content and predators.
Q: Who is opposing Bores and how have those groups spent in the race?
A: Think Big, a pro-AI super PAC backed by leaders of OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, has spent more than $2 million on independent expenditures targeting Bores, and other outside groups like Michael Bloomberg’s Stand For New York have injected large sums into the primary. OpenAI says the company itself did not fund the PACs opposing Bores even as some executives helped bankroll those groups.
Q: What claims are opponents making about Bores and his backers?
A: Opponents like Think Big allege Bores is “bought and sold” by Anthropic, its investors like Chris Larsen, and a network of dark-money tech groups, saying his allies are trying to buy regulatory control. Supporters point to Bores’s sponsorship of the RAISE Act and note that pro-regulation donors such as Anthropic and Larsen are backing candidates who favor AI guardrails.
Q: What is Alex Bores’ record on AI policy?
A: Bores sponsored New York’s AI safety RAISE Act and has described himself as pro-innovation while advocating for stronger safety rules and protections for children. He previously worked at Palantir and later criticized the company, a background that has become a flashpoint in Democratic primaries.
Q: How might the NY-12 primary outcome influence federal AI policy?
A: If candidates like Bores win, the article says Congress could move toward stronger rules for frontier AI models, clearer child-safety standards, more testing and reporting, and increased funding for AI safety research and enforcement. If pro-growth candidates prevail, policy could lean toward lighter-touch oversight, liability protections, and broader latitude for AI deployment.
Q: What should voters and observers watch as the race progresses?
A: Key signals include ad tone and targeting, the pace and scale of super PAC spending, the appearance of credible public polls, debates and forums on the RAISE Act and AI protections, and endorsements that could shift momentum. The article also flags the potential impact of last-minute digital ad surges and spending near early voting.
* The information provided on this website is based solely on my personal experience, research and technical knowledge. This content should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation. Any investment decision must be made on the basis of your own independent judgement.
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