--- title: "Democrats Warned Not to Upset Multi-Million Dollar AI Lobbyists, Even Though It’d Be a Slam Dunk With Voters" description: "Democratic strategists have quietly warned politicians against challenging their big tech donors, regardless of what voters want." date: "2026-04-18" modified: "2026-04-18" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/democrats-ai-voters" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" --- # Democrats Warned Not to Upset Multi-Million Dollar AI Lobbyists, Even Though It’d Be a Slam Dunk With Voters ![A pixelated image of a brown donkey with upright ears and a raised tail, set against a light blue background.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images* During the 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the Democratic party establishment made the strange decision to swing right, in an apparent attempt to capture the mythical conservative-centrist vote. Republican stalwart [Liz Cheney]() was trotted out before Democratic voters while policy proposals [became more conservative](), even as [millions of young voters]() clamored for a more progressive ticket. It didn't work, obviously: Harris lost, and according to [exit polls]() won just 5 percent of the Republican vote — a point less than Joe Biden had in 2020 — as working class voters turned out for Trump and young voters stayed home. The strategy only deepened the longstanding criticism that the Democratic establishment answers to its [billionaire]() [donors]() before its constituency. Fast forward to 2026, and it's clear the party remains a poor student of its own failures. According [to the *Financial Times*](), Democrats running in the 2026 midterm elections have been advised by party strategists not to antagonize pro-AI interests, even as [polls show]() AI regulation is incredibly popular with voters. Specifically, the Democratic establishment is telling politicians to play nice with any "pro-AI group" with over $300 million to toss around, evidently in an effort to court that money for the political machine. So far, only a small handful of progressive Democrats have made AI regulation a key part of their platform, as the majority of party functionaries bite their tongues. "You are definitely seeing a chilling effect \[on campaigns\]," Alex Jacquez, former White House advisor and head of policy at Groundwork Collaborative told the *FT*. "There's just not a lot of upside in the potential of getting $20mn \[spent by pro-AI campaign groups\] in your race... in a lot of cases it is going to be easier to say nothing." While that may be a fair point from the campaign funding point of view, there's also the actual election to consider. Democrats have a spotty track record courting voters against the Trump-aligned Republican bloc, and opposition to AI could be the ticket to securing an easy victory. According to a [poll by Ipsos](), 63 percent of Americans believe the federal government should play a stronger role in governing AI, with 67 percent of Democrats saying they want the government to ensure AI doesn't cause harm. Embracing AI could also be a way to court the Democrat's long-lost — some would say [nonexistent]() — centrist voters. According to the Ipsos poll, 63 percent of Republican voters agreed that the federal government should use a stronger hand to make sure AI companies don't harm Americans. A further 56 percent of Republicans want the government to ensure AI outputs are accurate, compared to 51 percent of Democrats who say the same. With [small towns]() now pushing back against AI data centers en masse, the appeal clearly stretches far beyond the Democrats' typical base. Opposition [to big tech]() has never had a broader constituency, if only politicians would be willing to take a stand. **More on AI and politics:** *[Psychological Research Finds Trump Supporters Are Not Doing Well]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()