A political action committee known as Think Big PAC has launched an aggressive campaign against Alex Bores, a Democratic candidate for New York’s 12th Congressional District. The PAC’s mailer highlights Bores’ past financial connections to Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, claiming he received over $100,000 in support from Bankman-Fried’s network.
The mailer asserts that Bores is financially backed by individuals associated with Bankman-Fried, who was convicted of fraud related to FTX’s collapse. It criticizes Bores’ campaign financing and positions him as disconnected from the concerns of his constituents, urging voters to consider alternatives in the Democratic primary.
Bores is competing in a crowded primary field that includes notable figures such as Jack Schlossberg, a member of the Kennedy family, and George Conway, among others. The race to succeed Rep. Jerry Nadler in this heavily Democratic district is expected to draw significant attention in the upcoming election cycle.
A spokesperson for Think Big PAC stated, “For someone who’s railed against deep fake AI, candidate Bores doesn’t seem to have trouble creating his own reality. He raked in over $100,000 from Sam Bankman-Fried’s sordid political network but refuses to acknowledge the connection.” The PAC aims to support candidates who advocate for pro-technology policies and has previously targeted Democratic primaries in other states.
Bores, who is in his first term as an assemblymember, has gained visibility for his legislative efforts focused on artificial intelligence safety and accountability. His recent initiatives may have made him a target for the PAC’s campaign.
The mailer emphasizes the political contributions tied to Bankman-Fried, who was among the largest political donors in the 2022 election cycle. A CoinDesk analysis revealed that 196 members of Congress received campaign support from Bankman-Fried or his associates, with Bores being one of only two state-level candidates in New York to receive backing from an SBF-affiliated PAC.
Think Big PAC has already invested significant resources in advertising against Bores, including previous television and digital campaigns that questioned his past work at Palantir. In response, Bores’ campaign has issued a cease-and-desist letter, alleging that the PAC has made false and defamatory statements in its advertisements.
As of now, Bores’ campaign has not provided a comment regarding the PAC’s claims.
Think Big PAC has targeted New York congressional candidate Alex Bores over his financial ties to Sam Bankman-Fried, highlighting past contributions as part of a broader campaign strategy. Bores, who has introduced legislation on AI safety, faces a competitive primary field.