Understanding Congressional Division on AI
The Newsweek AI Policy Scorecard reveals a division in Congress regarding artificial intelligence, yet not strictly along party lines. As Election Day approaches, it presents an opportunity to assess how AI-related issues may recalibrate political alignments.
Upcoming Webinar on AI and Elections
On November 10, Newsweek’s upcoming webinar, “Midterms Review: How AI Policy Shaped the 2026 Elections,” aims to analyze the election results. It will revisit findings from the AI Policy Scorecard, which scrutinized public records of all 537 current members of Congress in five domains: Regulation & Governance, Data Centers & Energy, Jobs & Economy, Safety & Privacy, and National Security & China.
Rating Lawmakers on AI Policy
The scorecard serves as a baseline for pre-election debate, eschewing typical party lines. Ratings range from AI Skeptic (1) to AI Booster (5), with Democrats averaging 2.60, deemed Lean Skeptic, and Republicans averaging 3.26, identified as Lean Booster. Few lawmakers occupy the extremes: 18 are AI Skeptic, and 10 are AI Booster. A notable 191 lawmakers fall in the Mixed category near the midpoint, while nine Democrats are Lean Booster and 25 Republicans are Lean Skeptic.
“This is not yet following the typical polarized political dynamics of so many other issues,”said Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford Law School professor and task force co-lead on AI and politics.
Webinar Participants
The panel includes Nathaniel Persily, Brent Buchanan, founder and CEO of Cygnal, a Republican survey research firm, and Nick Penniman, founder and CEO of Issue One, a crosspartisan political reform group.
Divisions in Data Center Policies
Clearer separation emerges in data center policies, where Republicans average 3.5 compared to Democrats’ 1.9, despite cross-party resistance to new facilities. Brent Buchanan noted data centers as an unsolicited topic appearing in focus groups, serving as a criterion for voters to judge candidates.
Impact of Financial Influence on AI Debate
Financial dynamics play a role, with Issue One reporting $41.8 million spent by tech and AI firms lobbying the government in early 2026. Groups linked to OpenAI and Anthropic contributed over $27 million in New York’s 12th District Democratic primary.
Post-Election Analysis
Post-Election Day, the event will explore AI’s presence in campaigns, insights into emerging political coalitions, and prevalent voter issues. Discussions will extend to the implications for lobbying, advocacy, and external political finances.
Gabriel Snyder, Newsweek’s executive editor, will moderate the live webinar on Tuesday, November 10, at 2 p.m. ET. Registration is available here.