Results showed a majority of 23rd district voters oppose Obernolte’s efforts to weaken AI catastrophic risk protection, water down chatbot safety laws, and ramp up data center construction

View the results here

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Tech Oversight Project launched a survey with Public Policy Polling of voters from Republican Congressman Jay Obernolte’s Congressional district (CA-23). The results overwhelmingly showed that Obernolte’s AI agenda is underwater with his constituents – with majorities opposing his efforts to weaken California’s strongest AI protections and supercharge AI data centers that are increasing home energy costs across southern California. The survey took place from May 14th to May 15th and surveyed 866 likely voters. The margin of error is 3.3%. View the survey results here.

“Congressman Jay Obernolte is the Big Tech industry’s favorite person on Capitol Hill, but his constituents are overwhelmingly opposed to his AI agenda, which will make Californians less safe, increase home energy prices in their backyard, and expose minors to harmful, predatory chatbots,” said Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project. “It is crystal clear that it hasn’t taken Obernolte very long to turn his back on the High Desert by going full Washington. Californians are looking for leaders who will shake up the broken status quo and put their needs ahead of the Big Tech lobby. For voters in the 23rd district, Obernolte doesn’t fit the bill.”

The Tech Oversight Project is the parent organization of Tech Oversight California, an advocacy organization that brings together policy, organizing, and communications experts to champion tech accountability and a healthier, safer internet for all Californians.

Topline Results:

• 56% of Obernolte’s surveyed constituents opposed the Congressman’s efforts to weaken California’s AI laws governing catastrophic risk.
• 43% of respondents said they would be less likely to support a Congressional candidate who supported weakening those California laws.
• 58% of Californians from the 23rd District said that they opposed Obernolte’s efforts to weaken California chatbot laws.
• Over half of Obernolte’s surveyed constituents (53%) said they would be less likely to back a candidate for Congress if they supported watering down chatbot protections.
• 60% of Obernolte’s survey constituents said that they opposed Congressional efforts to speed up the permitting process for data center construction by bypassing input from local communities.
• 56% of Californians from the 23rd District said they would be less likely to support a candidate for Congress if they backed such an effort.