Democratic candidates competing for New York’s 12th Congressional District seat sparred over technology policy and political allegiances during a televised debate held on June 4, 2026. The forum, hosted by PIX11, featured participants including state Assembly Member Alex Bores, Micah Lasher, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway, all vying to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler in the safely Democratic district. The primary election is scheduled for June 23, 2026.

Much of the debate centered on Alex Bores, a former data scientist at Palantir, whose legislative efforts to regulate artificial intelligence have attracted significant outside campaign spending. State Assembly Member Micah Lasher challenged Bores’ independence, alleging he is beholden to major industry players. Lasher specifically cited that Anthropic has contributed $1 million to support Bores’ candidacy, alongside $3.5 million from a crypto-affiliated donor. Meanwhile, candidate Jack Schlossberg criticized Bores’ proposed AI regulatory framework, arguing it would inadvertently provide tech companies with excessive control rather than meaningful oversight.

Bores defended his record, noting that he sponsored state legislation requiring major AI developers to report dangerous incidents to state regulators. He contended that the attacks from his opponents and the wave of negative advertising reflect his status as a threat to major political donors. During the event, three of five commercial breaks contained advertisements concerning Bores, including an attack ad from the Think Big PAC and supportive messages from an AI-focused super PAC. Bores has framed his platform around regulating the technology to mitigate public concerns over potential job losses.

Other candidates used the platform to contrast their own priorities with the broader political climate of President Donald Trump’s second term. George Conway, the former husband of Kellyanne Conway, campaigned on a platform focused on removing the president from office, while criticizing the debate itself as a destructive internal conflict for the party. As the primary approaches, the contest remains a focal point for the party's direction on technology regulation and its overall political strategy regarding the current administration.

Democratic candidates competing for New York’s 12th Congressional District seat sparred over technology policy and political allegiances during a televised debate held on June 4, 2026. The forum, hosted by PIX11, featured participants including state Assembly Member Alex Bores, Micah Lasher, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway, all vying to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler in the safely Democratic district. The primary election is scheduled for June 23, 2026.

Much of the debate centered on Alex Bores, a former data scientist at Palantir, whose legislative efforts to regulate artificial intelligence have attracted significant outside campaign spending. State Assembly Member Micah Lasher challenged Bores’ independence, alleging he is beholden to major industry players. Lasher specifically cited that Anthropic has contributed $1 million to support Bores’ candidacy, alongside $3.5 million from a crypto-affiliated donor. Meanwhile, candidate Jack Schlossberg criticized Bores’ proposed AI regulatory framework, arguing it would inadvertently provide tech companies with excessive control rather than meaningful oversight.

Bores defended his record, noting that he sponsored state legislation requiring major AI developers to report dangerous incidents to state regulators. He contended that the attacks from his opponents and the wave of negative advertising reflect his status as a threat to major political donors. During the event, three of five commercial breaks contained advertisements concerning Bores, including an attack ad from the Think Big PAC and supportive messages from an AI-focused super PAC. Bores has framed his platform around regulating the technology to mitigate public concerns over potential job losses.

Other candidates used the platform to contrast their own priorities with the broader political climate of President Donald Trump’s second term. George Conway, the former husband of Kellyanne Conway, campaigned on a platform focused on removing the president from office, while criticizing the debate itself as a destructive internal conflict for the party. As the primary approaches, the contest remains a focal point for the party's direction on technology regulation and its overall political strategy regarding the current administration.