New TOP report analyzing tech accountability messaging in over 130 top-tier House, Senate, and Gubernatorial Races

Findings show Dems using anti-Big Tech messaging in nearly 75% of DCCC Red-to-Blue races, nearly 90% of Senate toss-up races, and 100% of Gubernatorial toss-up races

Read the full report here

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Tech Oversight Project released a new report, The AI Election: How Democrats Are Campaigning on Tech Accountability to Win Control of Congress, which details the nearly ubiquitous anti-Big Tech pitch Democratic candidates made to voters in paid media – attacking Republicans for Big Tech data centers raising the cost of living, tax breaks from Big Tech, and the industry’s corrupting influence on our elections and Congress. Last week, The Tech Oversight Project applauded the DCCC for urging campaigns and outside groups in half of its most competitive races to use tech accountability messaging to draw contrast with Republicans across the country.

“For the first time, the balance of power in Congress will be determined by how voters feel about Big Tech and AI. Democrats, in the tightest battleground races, made tech accountability a significant part of their pitch to voters, promising to hold Big Tech’s feet to the fire for raising the cost of living, unraveling billions in tax breaks for massive tech and data center developers, and making Big Tech, not regular people, pay for data centers,” said Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project. “By explicitly drawing contrast with Republicans on this issue, the onus will be on majority-making Democrats to deliver comprehensive reform, and we look forward to helping them accomplish that goal.”

Key Facts: 

• Democratic campaigns used tech accountability messaging at more than a 4-to-1 rate compared with Republican campaigns.
• 74% of DCCC Red-to-Blue races used tech accountability messaging in paid TV and digital advertising.
• 67% (two-thirds) of DCCC Districts in Play, including Red-to-Blue races and map-expansion races, used tech accountability messaging in paid media.
• Nearly half of all DCCC Frontline races used tech accountability messaging in their paid media pitch to voters.
• 86% of Senate toss-up races used tech accountability messages in paid media.
• Based on the DSCC’s Win Senate Program launched in July, 6 of 10, 60% of races used tech accountability messaging.
• 100% of Gubernatorial toss-up races used tech accountability messaging in paid media campaigns.
• 89% of Gubernatorial races rated Lean-D or Lean-R used tech accountability pitches in digital and TV advertising.

Key Findings: 

• Democratic campaigns used their paid media programs to draw a direct link between Big Tech and the cost-of-living concerns plaguing middle-class families.
  • Examples: 
    • AK-Sen: Mary Peltola
    • NY-17: Cait Conley
    • WI-Gov: David Crowley
• Democratic Campaigns pinned a broken Washington squarely on the Big Tech industry and tagged Republicans for perceived corruption.
  • Examples: 
    • LA-Sen: Jamie Davis
    • TX-Sen: James Talarico
    • MT-1: Sam Forstag
• Democrats tapped into deeply-rooted and populist injustice by attacking Republicans on tax breaks for Big Tech and data center companies.
  • Examples: 
    • MI-7: Will Lawrence
    • CA-22: Randy Villegas
    • OH-1: Greg Landsman
• New lines of attack are being used against Big Tech, which could metastasize and grow into 2028 issues.
  • Big Tech and Pollution Examples: 
    • MD-Gov: Wes Moore
    • CO-4: Eileen Laubacher
  • AI Safety and Surveillance Pricing Examples: 
    • VA-Sen: Mark Warner
    • OR-Gov: Tina Kotek
  • AI in Health Care Example: 
    • OH-13: Emilia Sykes
  • Kids Online Safety Examples: 
    • GA-Sen: Jon Ossoff
    • NY-22: John Mannion
    • VA-5: Tom Perriello
  • Rural Economy and Farmland Degradation Examples: 
    • KS-Gov: Cindy Holscher 
    • IA-Sen: Josh Turek