Just days after the ticker-tape parade celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA championship, New Yorkers are gearing up for another major contest: Tuesday’s primaries, featuring several intense battles between Democratic members of Congress and upstart challengers.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Those races, as well as a handful of Democratic House primaries in Maryland and one in Utah, are the latest proving ground in the battle between the different wings in the Democratic Party this year.
Progressives are seeking to increase their foothold in Washington, including in a series of races that will test New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s sway among Democrats.And some of the most powerful and well-financed interest groups in politics are spending big in primaries at an inflection point for their issues in Washington.Republicans will have some key races, too — most notably in South Carolina, where the Republican nomination in the open race for governor has gone to a runoff.And both parties are setting up battleground races with primaries across New York, too.Here’s what to watch in Tuesday’s primaries.Millions in crypto, AI, pro-Israel spending flood key primariesTwo House primaries have drawn massive amounts of outside spending from key groups aligned with cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence companies and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
New York’s 12th District has turned into the stage for a clash between two warring outside groups backing different visions for AI policy.On one side is Leading the Future, a super PAC funded by leaders at OpenAI and an aligned venture capital firm.
The group has criticized candidates pushing certain additional regulation on AI, especially at a state-by-state level.In this race, the group has sent at least $10 million to a super PAC that’s opposing Democratic state legislator Alex Bores, who has been a vocal proponent of AI regulation...