As Republicans and Democrats sort through new federal policies regulating the Artificial <a href="https://bitcomme.com/12-top-business-intelligence-tools-2024/” title=”12 Top Business Intelligence Tools (2024)”>Intelligence industry, a leading progressive on Capitol Hill is calling on presidential candidates in his party to reject donations from AI billionaires, arguing it’s a chance for Democrats to draw a clear contrast with Republicans on what he says could be the “defining issue” of this election cycle and the next.
In an interview with MS NOW this week, Rep. Greg Casar of Texas — the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — called recent protests against data centers “just the initial tremors of the earthquake that’s coming if people start losing their jobs in a big way.”
“If someone wants to win the presidential nomination, they should start taking these cues now,” Casar said.
‘Trump is taking your money!’: Progressive Chair on busting MAGA GOP’s obsessionOctober 15, 2025 / 46:14
Specifically, Casar wants Democrats to refuse the help of Leading the Future — a prominent pro-AI super PAC — and “AI billionaires that are lobbying for no regulation.”
“We need to clearly be 100% on the side of workers who are vulnerable, kids who are vulnerable, everyday people who are vulnerable to mass surveillance,” Casar said.
But if 2026 is any indication, Leading the Future could spend big in 2028.
As of the end of June, data compiled by OpenSecrets for MS NOW shows that Leading the Future and its affiliates had raised more than $76.5 million so far this cycle. The group had also already spent tens of millions of dollars in electoral contests — some of that backing Republicans, some backing Democrats.
OpenSecrets’ director of insights, Brendan Glavin, told MS NOW that the AI spending this year looks like a “prelude” to what’s going to happen in 2028.
Asked about the financial implications for Democrats if they disavowed cash from the AI industry, Casar suggested the greater risk may be having their backing.
He predicted that in two years, Sam Altman — the CEO of OpenAI — would be “as big a villain to Democrats as Elon Musk is today.” And Leading the Future and the “big anti-AI regulation donors,” he said, would be “as toxic as AIPAC is today.”
“If Democrats clearly stand with the 75% plus of Americans that want sensible AI regulations to prevent mass unemployment, mass surveillance, or mass national security risks, I think we should win over the voters,” Casar said.
“Even if it means we don’t win over all the money,” he added.
Drawing a line in the sand on artificial intelligence, Casar argued, would also allow Democrats to paint a clear contrast with the GOP — including, in particular, one potential Republican presidential candidate: Vice President JD Vance.
Casar told MS NOW he sees Vance as particularly vulnerable on this issue.
‘It’s not a joke; it’s blasphemy’: Why Vance is wrong about calling Trump’s AI image humorousApril 14, 2026 / 12:13
Before arriving in elected office, Vance worked in venture capital in San Francisco. He has ties to the tech sector. He helped co-found a Silicon Valley-backed donor organization to back right-wing political initiatives.
“AI corruption is a big liability for a JD Vance presidential campaign,” Casar said. “He’s more Silicon Valley than Ohio, more tech bro than factory guy.”
In recent months, Vance has expressed concern that the benefits of AI may predominantly help the wealthy — while also downplaying its potential impact on the job market.
“I have not yet seen the evidence that you’re going to see widespread job destruction because of AI,” he told the Atlantic in June.
Casar said that if the U.S. experiences mass layoffs tied to artificial intelligence by 2028, Democrats “should make sure every voter sees” that comment.
“It’s going to look as if George H. W. Bush’s ‘Read My Lips, No New Taxes’ and Mitt Romney’s 47% comments had a baby,” he said.
Vance’s team did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment.
Leading the Future also did not respond to outreach from MS NOW.
