OpenAI-backed political group targets North Carolina congressional race

FIRST ON FOX — A political group backed by leading AI companies and innovators is beginning to dip into its formidable war chest to support candidates in competitive primaries in this year’s midterm elections.

Fox News Digital has learned that the group, called Leading the Future, is pumping in half a million dollars to launch an ad blitz in support of former Defense Department official Laurie Buckhout, who is running in next month’s Republican primary in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Rep. Donald Davis.

The ad buy is the first major campaign expense for Leading the Future, which is financially supported in a personal capacity by OpenAI Chairman and co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife Anna, as well as Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm that is a major investor in OpenAI.

Leading the Future recently announced that it and associated organizations had raised more than $125 million in commitments and had more than $70 million in liquidity as of the start of this year..

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Republican congressional candidate Laurie Buckhout of North Carolina speaks to voters in Bath, North Carolina, February 6, 2026. (Laurie Buckhout campaign)

The groups say the injection of money into the North Carolina primary, where early voting begins next week, is just an appetizer.

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“This is just the beginning of what we hope will be sustained engagement at the state and federal level throughout the 2026 cycle,” Leading the Future co-strategists Zac Moffatt and Joe Vlasto said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Some of OpenAI’s top executives and investors are supporting the political group Leading the Future, which is beginning to pour resources into political primaries. (Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

They emphasized: “It is critical that we identify and support lawmakers who recognize the urgency of the moment and the responsibility of policymakers to adopt a national regulatory framework that ensures the United States remains the global leader in AI innovation, wins the race against China, and protects the safety of children, users, and communities.” »

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They promised: “As more candidates emerge to champion policies that harness the economic benefits of AI and reject attempts to hinder American innovation, Leading the Future will stand with them as a committed supporter.” »

Two of those races that Leading the Future plans to participate in will be in Illinois.

Former Democratic Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois is running in the 2026 midterm elections to try to return to Congress. (PA)

The group plans to spend seven figures in the open-seat Democratic primary in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, in support of former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and in the state’s 8th Congressional District, where they are supporting former Rep. Melissa Bean.

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Other early contributors from the AI ​​world to Leading the Future include Joe Lonsdale, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded companies such as Palantir Technologies, Addepar, and OpenGov, and co-founded and works as managing partner of technology investment firm 8VC, and Ron Conway, a venture capitalist and philanthropist who is co-founder of SV Angel.