Anthropic-backed PAC Pours $500K Into Massachusetts Senate Primary as AI Policy Takes Center Stage

Artificial intelligence policy and campaign spending have emerged as central issues in the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary, where six-term Representative Seth Moulton is challenging incumbent Senator Ed Markey ahead of next week's vote, CNBC Business reported.

Moulton, 47, has seized on an awkward exchange from a recent debate during which Markey, 80, stated that he was unsure whether artificial intelligence software was installed on his personal devices. The challenger incorporated the clip into campaign advertisements, framing the answer as evidence that the state requires a new generation of political leadership after Markey's nearly five decades in Congress.

Despite the scrutiny over his tech literacy, Markey's re-election effort has secured financial backing tied to prominent artificial intelligence developers. Public First Action, a nonprofit organization funded by AI safety pioneer Anthropic, directed $500,000 to Commonwealth Together, a political action committee supporting Markey, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures. Anthropic has supplied $20 million in total funding to Public First Action.

Public First Action spokesperson Anthony Rivera-Rodriguez stated that the organization chose to back Markey because the senator "has been unequivocal in his support for regulating AI." Rivera-Rodriguez pointed to Markey's role in leading a 99-to-1 Senate vote that removed a proposed ban on state-level AI rules from a reconciliation bill, as well as his efforts to resist federal preemption measures and draft legislation preserving state regulatory power over technology companies.

The primary highlights broader corporate spending across election cycles as lawmakers grapple with governance surrounding AI development and data center infrastructure. While Markey has proposed an "AI Accountability Agenda" to ensure software serves the public interest rather than corporate profits, Moulton has called for federal AI regulations that keep technology developers headquartered in the United States. Outside spending has flowed to both candidates, with pro-Moulton PAC Advance Progress drawing contributions from financial figures such as former Bain Capital co-chair Josh Bekenstein. Other tech-focused committees, including the Andreessen Horowitz-backed PAC Leading the Future, have funded candidates nationally but have not yet entered the Massachusetts contest.

Markey, who is seeking a third full term in the Senate, retains strong backing among high-profile progressive figures, including endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The veteran lawmaker previously turned back a primary challenge from former Representative Joe Kennedy III during the 2020 election cycle.

Heading into primary day, public polling shows Markey holding a commanding lead over Moulton. A University of New Hampshire survey published this week placed Markey ahead by 35 percentage points, garnering 63% support among likely primary voters compared to 28% for Moulton.