Democratic campaign consultants are advising their candidates in key congressional races to avoid emphasizing the need for AI regulation, fearing that powerful tech industry groups might spend heavily against them. This guidance, according to individuals involved in three top-tier House races, comes as concerns over AI grow on Capitol Hill. Industry leaders have raised alarms about the potential existential risks posed by the technology, while voters are increasingly worried—about two-thirds of Americans believe advanced AI could pose a threat to humanity, according to a recent POLITICO Poll. President Donald Trump has dismissed these concerns as a "hoax," which has created an opening for Democrats to address the issue. However, senior Democrats and candidates are cautious. They worry that taking a strong stance against AI could trigger significant spending by pro-industry super PACs, especially in competitive races. These include districts represented by Reps. Don Davis in North Carolina, Marcy Kaptur in Ohio, Henry Cuellar in Texas, and several in South Texas and Pennsylvania. Democrats are already struggling against a wave of outside spending from Trump and his allies, including Elon Musk, a major AI investor. However, Musk’s spending is not primarily driven by AI concerns. A senior Democratic strategist said while regulation is necessary, the party wants to avoid making AI a central issue to prevent backlash from pro-AI groups. Cuellar, who is trying to hold onto a GOP-leaning South Texas seat, said there should be a conversation about AI guardrails, but each member should make their own decision based on their district and beliefs. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, former chair of the Progressive Caucus, warned that pro-AI groups might target key Democrats. She noted that while these groups claim to want regulation, they often spend heavily to defeat candidates who support legislative oversight. If Democrats take control of Congress next year, AI regulation will be on their agenda. Jayapal said AI groups will likely spend to support candidates who can be counted on to let them shape the legislation. Some top Democratic candidates are trying to avoid crossing any red lines for tech super PACs, even as it remains unclear what those lines are. Democrats are especially wary of "Leading the Future," a pro-AI industry super PAC that spent over $25 million in primary races this year and is backed by investors and executives of OpenAI. The rival super PAC, Public First Action, pushes for AI regulation and is funded by OpenAI’s chief competitor, Anthropic. Public First Action uses two "litmus tests" to decide whether to support a candidate. If a candidate strongly supports export controls and opposes the preemption of state AI laws, they are a prime candidate for support. If a candidate opposes export controls and supports preemption, the group may spend against them. Anthropic’s policy chief, Sarah Heck, said at a recent summit that the U.S. needs to lead in AI development over China, arguing that "you can’t do safety from second place." She agreed that AI firms can’t regulate themselves entirely but did not endorse bipartisan legislation for external oversight. Some Democrats want to push for strong AI regulation despite the risk of antagonizing industry groups. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democrats’ Senate nominee in Michigan, previously called for a regulatory crackdown on AI and now advocates for a "full pause" at the frontier of research. He said he would "rather be on the truth than dodge [AI industry] money." However, El-Sayed hasn't committed to running ads on the issue. Other key Democratic representatives, like Susie Lee in Nevada and Greg Landsman in Ohio, also said they weren’t planning AI-related ads, even as they advocate for more regulations. This suggests that despite rising voter concerns, AI is not yet a top issue in the November election. Republicans are hoping that AI super PACs might help them in key states like Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff has been critical of the industry, or Texas, where GOP nominee Ken Paxton is trailing in recent polls. A Republican senator, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they could use the help in some races, showing that the influence of AI-related spending could shape the election landscape.