Anthropic Donates $20M to Support AI Regulation Candidates (ANTH)

Anthropic (ANTH) will donate $20 million to U.S. political candidates supporting AI industry regulation, according to a statement released Feb 12, 2026. The funds are directed to Public First Action, which opposes federal efforts to block state AI regulations. The group is backing Republican Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee governor candidate, who opposed a congressional effort to bar states from passing AI laws. The donation reflects growing industry influence in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections as states consider or have passed AI regulation legislation. Public First Action, launched late last year by two former members of Congress, is countering Leading the Future, backed by OpenAI president Greg Brockman and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, with A16Z an investor in OpenAI. Leading the Future has raised $125 million since its August 2025 founding.