Post by @molly0xfff@hachyderm.io

Results are coming in, and I’m tracking how crypto and AI super PACs’ bets are faring live on Tech Influence Watch: https://influence.citationneeded.news/2026/results

I’ll thread the industries’ biggest wins and losses tonight below 🧵

#USpol #USpolitics #midterms

Tech Influence Watch

Election results | Tech Influence Watch

Results from the latest federal elections, and how candidates backed or opposed by crypto- and AI-focused super PACs and donors fared

#midterms #uspolitics #uspol

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Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 15 min. ago

@jeroen94704 no, some of these PACs (particularly on the AI side) are supporting Dems

Michael Bishop ☕ 📚 🚲 🌱

@MichaelBishop@mastodon.world 3 hr. ago

@molly0xfff Thanks for keeping us updated on the Crypto criminals and the election they lost.

Cyberlyra

@cyberlyra@hachyderm.io 4 hr. ago

@molly0xfff
molly this is excellent!!!!

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 5 hr. ago

Not much to report yet. So far, the only called races with crypto or AI money are ones where the industries backed safe or likely winners (plus John Deaton, who never stood a chance in Massachusetts). This is part of their strategy to buy/reward loyalty and pad the PAC win rates.

Four bar charts showing how crypto and AI super PAC money in the general election has fared so far, grouped by the kind of race it went into. Each chart splits the money into winning side, losing side, and not yet called.

Competitive races (Toss-up or Lean): 0 of 16 called. All $92.4 million is not yet called.

Backing the winners (helping the favorite in races rated Solid): 15 of 44 called. $3.1 million (30%) on the winning side, none on the losing side, and $7.5 million (70%) not yet called.

Backing the underdog (helping the other side in races rated Likely or Solid): 1 of 1 called. All $706,000 on the losing side.

Likely winners (helping the favorite in races rated Likely): 1 of 7 called. $332,000 (4%) on the winning side, none on the losing side, and $8 million (96%) not yet called. — Four bar charts showing how crypto and AI super PAC money in the general election has fared so far, grouped by the kind of race it went into. Each chart splits the money into winning side, losing side, and not yet called. Competitive races (Toss-up or Lean): 0 of 16 called. All $92.4 million is not yet called. Backing the winners (helping the favorite in races rated Solid): 15 of 44 called. $3.1 million (30%) on the winning side, none on the losing side, and $7.5 million (70%) not yet called. Backing the underdog (helping the other side in races rated Likely or Solid): 1 of 1 called. All $706,000 on the losing side. Likely winners (helping the favorite in races rated Likely): 1 of 7 called. $332,000 (4%) on the winning side, none on the losing side, and $8 million (96%) not yet called.

McNeely

@McNeely@indieweb.social 4 hr. ago

@molly0xfff ok so we know that they are trying to pad numbers based on supporting "safe" voters but do you have any numbers on how they have done in competitive races?

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 4 hr. ago

@McNeely 0–1 so far, after the South Carolina Senate was called for Annie Andrews just now

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 4 hr. ago

NBC projects Democrat Annie Andrews will defeat “Data Center Darline” Graham, backed by $4.1 million in AI super PAC money. This was the AI PACs' biggest bet on a competitive general election race. https://influence.citationneeded.news/2026/elections/SC-S

Screenshot from my newsletter earlier today (pinned):

#USpol #USpolitics #midterms

This is the artificial intelligence sector’s biggest bet on a competitive general election race. American Mission, the Republican arm of the Leading the Future PAC network, may have thought they were backing an easy winner with their first expenditure of around $375,000 to back Lindsey Graham in his primary. But since then, it has added more than $2 million to back Darline Graham in her primary runoff election and general election. In mid-October, Leading the Future brought in reinforcements: Building the Future, a new arm of the network created specifically to support pro-data center candidates, has spent $2.5 million supporting her in the general, its only federal spending so far. Crypto’s Fellowship PAC also spent $550,000 to back Lindsey Graham in the primary, but did not show up with additional funds to back his replacement.

Andrews has used the data center issue and Graham’s AI funding to tar her opponent as “Data Center Darline”. While Andrews has called for moratoriums on new data centers in the state, Graham has opposed them, saying they would give China a chance to get ahead on AI development.12 — This is the artificial intelligence sector’s biggest bet on a competitive general election race. American Mission, the Republican arm of the Leading the Future PAC network, may have thought they were backing an easy winner with their first expenditure of around $375,000 to back Lindsey Graham in his primary. But since then, it has added more than $2 million to back Darline Graham in her primary runoff election and general election. In mid-October, Leading the Future brought in reinforcements: Building the Future, a new arm of the network created specifically to support pro-data center candidates, has spent $2.5 million supporting her in the general, its only federal spending so far. Crypto’s Fellowship PAC also spent $550,000 to back Lindsey Graham in the primary, but did not show up with additional funds to back his replacement. Andrews has used the data center issue and Graham’s AI funding to tar her opponent as “Data Center Darline”. While Andrews has called for moratoriums on new data centers in the state, Graham has opposed them, saying they would give China a chance to get ahead on AI development.12

Tech Influence Watch

South Carolina Senate election | Tech Influence Watch

Cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence industry spending to influence the South Carolina Senate election.

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 3 hr. ago

Democrat Manny Rutinel projected to win Colorado District 8. That’s a win for the Anthropic-linked Public First AI industry super PAC network, which spent $600,000 to oppose Republican Gabe Evans. Chris Larsen’s You Can Push Back PAC also backed Rutinel with almost $1M in the primary.

#USpol #USpolitics #midterms #Colorado

Money involved in this election
Manny Rutinel (D): Raised $9.46M, $6.88M in outside spending to support ($977k from AI PACs), $5.88M in outside spending to oppose
Gabe Evans (R): Raised $7.25M, $2.44M in outside spending to support, $10.1M in outside spending to oppose ($599k from AI PACs)
Shannon Bird (D): Raised $2.37M, $928k in outside spending to support, $1.93M in outside spending to oppose
Evan Munsing (D): Raised $623k

Spending by crypto- and AI-focused committees
You Can Push Back AI
Total spending $976,940
to support Manny Rutinel in the primary
Jobs and Democracy PAC AI
Total spending $599,445
to oppose Gabe Evans in the general election — Money involved in this election Manny Rutinel (D): Raised $9.46M, $6.88M in outside spending to support ($977k from AI PACs), $5.88M in outside spending to oppose Gabe Evans (R): Raised $7.25M, $2.44M in outside spending to support, $10.1M in outside spending to oppose ($599k from AI PACs) Shannon Bird (D): Raised $2.37M, $928k in outside spending to support, $1.93M in outside spending to oppose Evan Munsing (D): Raised $623k Spending by crypto- and AI-focused committees You Can Push Back AI Total spending $976,940 to support Manny Rutinel in the primary Jobs and Democracy PAC AI Total spending $599,445 to oppose Gabe Evans in the general election

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 3 hr. ago

Dem James Talarico projected to win Texas Senate! That’s a loss for crypto, and particularly the Winklevoss twins’ Digital Freedom Fund, which made last-minute $515K expenditures for Paxton and against Talarico. Cantor Fitzgerald-funded Fellowship PAC also supported Paxton with $500K in the runoff.

#USpol #USpolitics #midterms #Texas #TXSen

Money involved in this election
James Talarico (D): Raised $146M ($39.9k from industry donors), $58.1M in outside spending to support, $221M in outside spending to oppose ($514k from crypto PACs)
Ken Paxton (R): Raised $22.3M ($42.5k from industry donors), $95M in outside spending to support ($853k from crypto PACs), $122M in outside spending to oppose
John Cornyn (R): Raised $14.3M ($213k from industry donors), $6.64M in outside spending to support, $4.33M in outside spending to oppose
Jasmine Crockett (D): Raised $11.1M, $749k in outside spending to support, $4.48M in outside spending to oppose
Wesley Hunt (R): Raised $2.15M ($33.5k from industry donors), $934k in outside spending to support, $13M in outside spending to oppose

Spending by crypto- and AI-focused committees
Digital Freedom Fund crypto
Total spending $867,718
to support Ken Paxton in the general election
$353,338
to oppose James Talarico in the general election

Fellowship PAC crypto
Total spending $500,000
to support Ken Paxton in the primary runoff — Money involved in this election James Talarico (D): Raised $146M ($39.9k from industry donors), $58.1M in outside spending to support, $221M in outside spending to oppose ($514k from crypto PACs) Ken Paxton (R): Raised $22.3M ($42.5k from industry donors), $95M in outside spending to support ($853k from crypto PACs), $122M in outside spending to oppose John Cornyn (R): Raised $14.3M ($213k from industry donors), $6.64M in outside spending to support, $4.33M in outside spending to oppose Jasmine Crockett (D): Raised $11.1M, $749k in outside spending to support, $4.48M in outside spending to oppose Wesley Hunt (R): Raised $2.15M ($33.5k from industry donors), $934k in outside spending to support, $13M in outside spending to oppose Spending by crypto- and AI-focused committees Digital Freedom Fund crypto Total spending $867,718 to support Ken Paxton in the general election $353,338 to oppose James Talarico in the general election Fellowship PAC crypto Total spending $500,000 to support Ken Paxton in the primary runoff

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MacCruiskeen

@maccruiskeen@social.linux.pizza 4 hr. ago

@molly0xfff Does that include Musk money, or is he in a category by himself?

Molly White

@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io 4 hr. ago

@maccruiskeen it does not -- his spending and businesses are too diffuse to lump in with crypto/ai IMO, though i do have a bubble for him in the big spenders graphic on the TIW front page