Tracker · The States

State battlegrounds.

AI PAC money isn't just flowing into federal races. Meta and others are spending heavily on state legislatures, where a single race can cost under $100K to influence — and where most AI regulation is actually being written.

Federal races

Congress writes national AI law. The candidates on our federal tracker are running for U.S. House and Senate seats where AI PACs are spending to shape who votes on bills like the RAISE Act and federal preemption proposals. The spending is large — $95M+ from Leading the Future alone — but so is the cost of influencing a federal race.

State races

States are where AI regulation is actually being written today. Colorado, New York, and Texas have already passed AI governance laws. Over 1,500 AI bills have been introduced across 45 states. State legislative races cost a fraction of federal ones — sometimes under $100K — which means AI industry money goes further here. A $750K spend in Illinois can shape four state races. The same amount barely registers in a single congressional primary.

This page tracks state-level spending. For federal candidates, see the candidates tracker.

6 tracked states · click to jump

Anti-regulationPro-regulationBoth sides

6 state battlegrounds tracked

California

Both sides spending

Meta launched a dedicated state PAC called "Meta California" targeting state legislature candidates. Encode AI, a youth-led pro-regulation PAC with ~$120K, is counter-spending. The fight is over data center regulation and state AI safety bills. Meta owns AI data center campuses in the state.

PACs spending: Meta California · Encode AI
Spending: Meta: undisclosed · Encode AI: ~$120K
Key issue: Data center regulation and state AI safety bills
Status: Active state legislative races

Texas

Anti-regulation spending

Meta spent $1.2M+ on state-level races including comptroller and state legislature through the American Technology Excellence Project PAC. Data centers are the central political issue — water and power usage clashing with state lawmakers. Both House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick list AI and data centers as priorities for the 2027 legislative session. Total AI PAC spending in Texas congressional races reached $2.8M+ as of mid-March 2026, with American Mission (Leading the Future network) accounting for more than three-quarters of it.

PACs spending: American Technology Excellence Project (Meta) · American Mission (Leading the Future)
Spending: $1.2M+ state races · $2.8M+ TX congressional races (mid-March 2026)
Key issue: Data centers — water and power usage vs. state lawmakers
Status: Speaker Burrows and Lt. Gov. Patrick name AI as 2027 session priority

Illinois

Anti-regulation spending

Meta spent $750K+ backing four state legislative candidates through the American Technology Excellence Project PAC. Part of Meta's national push to elect AI-friendly state legislators.

PACs spending: American Technology Excellence Project (Meta)
Spending: $750K+
Key issue: State legislature composition on AI
Status: Backing four state legislative candidates

New York

Anti-regulation spending

Leading the Future is attacking state-level AI safety advocates. The RAISE Act, authored by Assemblymember Alex Bores, is ground zero for the national fight between AI industry and regulators. Bores is now running for Congress and is the #1 target of AI PAC opposition spending ($1.95M+).

PACs spending: Leading the Future / Think Big
Spending: $1.95M+ opposing Bores
Key issue: RAISE Act and state AI safety laws
Status: Bores running for Congress under heavy opposition

Ohio

Anti-regulation spending

Leading the Future has announced plans to expand into state-level races. Specific candidates and spending not yet confirmed.

PACs spending: Leading the Future (planned)
Spending: Not yet disclosed
Key issue: State-level AI regulation
Status: Expansion announced; candidates not yet named

Florida

Anti-regulation spending

Leading the Future committed $5M to Byron Donalds' gubernatorial campaign plus a long-term educational effort on AI benefits in the state. This is the largest single-candidate AI PAC investment and the first major AI industry spending in a governor's race. Source: Florida Politics, Feb 2026.

PACs spending: Leading the Future
Spending: $5M for Byron Donalds (Governor)
Key issue: Pro-AI gubernatorial platform plus statewide educational campaign on AI benefits
Status: Largest single-candidate AI PAC investment to date

State legislative races are significantly cheaper to influence than federal races, making AI industry spending at the state level potentially more decisive dollar-for-dollar than any federal PAC.