‘Have the balls to try’: The Democrats bucking AI skepticism

Notably, the stakes extend well beyond the midterms, with experiments now underway that could define how campaigns operate in 2028 and years to come.

Key points

• The dynamic extends to Congress, where Republicans more than Democrats have backed light-touch rules for regulating AI that prioritize continued advancement against competitors from China.
• Anxiety regarding AI is a somewhat bipartisan problem, although Democratic voters have consistently registered more concern in recent polls than Republicans.
• Now, campaign players like Hutchinson are traveling to party conventions and consulting conferences nationwide to highlight their work.
• Complicating matters considerably is a throughline in Democratic politics this cycle: that bashing the AI industry can be a winning strategy.
• "Me and my wife have a running joke that I don't live at home anymore, " Thomas remarked.

Now, campaign players like Hutchinson are traveling to party conventions and consulting conferences nationwide to highlight their work. They're holding Claude Code study halls to teach the basics of "vibe-coding" to fellow consultants, and hosting monthly "open-mic nights" reminiscent of a lunchtime brown-bag session for summer interns to demo new tools.

Keyon Thomas, a Democratic strategist, former pastor from Los Angeles and co-founder of the progressive software firm PolitoDigital, remarked he traveled to Austin earlier this month ahead of the Democratic National Committee's summer gathering to speak with party leaders, including DNC Chief Security Officer Chris Roosenraad, regarding integrating AI into more aspects of campaign strategy. In all, Thomas estimated he's attended more than 30 political conventions and conferences this year – traveling so often that he's upgraded his airline loyalty status from silver to platinum in mere months.

"Me and my wife have a running joke that I don't live at home anymore, " Thomas remarked. "The number of state parties that are blowing up my phone right now, blowing up my inbox and wanting to have a conversation, is significantly more than it's ever been."

Complicating matters considerably is a throughline in Democratic politics this cycle: that bashing the AI industry can be a winning strategy. Surging progressives like Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race and moderates like New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill have created opposition to data centers and AI populism core campaign themes. And in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul lately produced waves by enacting the first state-level moratorium on new AI data center projects.

Anxiety regarding AI is a somewhat bipartisan problem, although Democratic voters have consistently registered more concern in recent polls than Republicans. This person report greater worries over national security problems. A POLITICO poll from April, for instance, discovered 57 percent of Democrats favored stricter AI regulation, even if it means China develops AI faster, compared to 47 percent of Republicans.

Notably, the dynamic extends to Congress, where Republicans more than Democrats have backed light-touch rules for regulating AI that prioritize continued advancement against competitors from China. And even as some GOP midterm candidates have sought to distance themselves from the increasingly controversial industry, others like Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers and California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton have applied the technology to create campaign ads.

For now, 'Have the balls to try': The Democrats bucking AI skepticism remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.