Candidates who emphasize affordability over AI regulation gain a clear electoral advantage
Washington, D.C. – A new survey released today by the American Edge Project (AEP) reveals that nationwide likely voters are focused on key economic issues like lowering the cost of living, strengthening jobs and wages, and making health care more affordable. They do not consider regulating tech and AI as a top election priority, and are worried about China pulling ahead in the global tech and AI race. The survey underscores that candidates campaigning on tech and AI regulation are out-of-step with the electorate’s immediate concerns, putting their electoral prospects at risk.
“Voters are sending a clear message: they want elected leaders who will address their economic and national security worries, not misguided fights to over-regulate American innovation,” said Doug Kelly, CEO of American Edge Project. “Americans know we are in a must-win race with China for global tech leadership, and politicians who fail to recognize that will pay at the ballot box.”
This survey, conducted in partnership with Mercury Analytics, was fielded among 1,500 nationwide likely voters from November 10 to November 17, 2025. It is a continuation of previous research also focused on voter priorities – the most recent of which included a survey fielded between December 2 and December 9, 2024 among 1,508 nationwide registered voters.
To read the full analysis from this study, see this memo.
Key findings include:
- Candidates campaigning on tech and AI regulation are out-of-step with the immediate concerns of likely voters across the political spectrum. Across party lines, regulation of U.S. tech companies and AI is a lower-tier priority. Instead, likely voters overwhelmingly want elected officials to concentrate on what matters most – lowering the cost of living, strengthening jobs and wages, making health care more affordable, and cracking down on corruption in government.
- Across party lines, there is an electoral advantage to prioritizing the rising cost of living over far-reaching AI regulation. Likely voters are willing to reward political candidates who focus on affordability over those who are pushing for additional AI regulation. Notably, about a quarter of all likely voters say they would even cross party lines to back a candidate focused on addressing the cost of living over a same-party candidate who is focused on further regulating AI. In fact, 37% of Republicans and 30% of MAGA Republicans say they would vote for a Democrat focused on affordability.
- Likely voters continue to worry about the security risks of foreign competitors outpacing U.S. technology. Nationwide, the vast majority of likely voters worry about technological threats posed by foreign adversaries, especially China and Russia, conducting espionage and cyberattacks targeting critical U.S. infrastructure.
- Likely voters – especially MAGA Republicans – are worried about China becoming dominant in the AI race and call for AI to be designed in the U.S and embedded with American values. Across party lines, and especially among MAGA Republicans, majorities of likely voters say AI should be designed in the U.S. and with American values “of freedom and openness” in mind, not China’s values “of censorship and control.” The vast majority of likely voters also agree that if China pulls ahead of the U.S. in AI, it would threaten the U.S.’s national security and economy.
The bottom line: In the 2026 Midterm elections, where control will likely be determined by a handful of elections, likely voters plan to support political candidates who prioritize the economic issues that impact them the most – the cost of living, job stability, and health care – over regulating tech and AI. Voters are also worried about the unintended consequences of misguided policies to further regulate AI innovation in the U.S., including threats to the U.S.’s economic growth, national security, and our competitive edge over China. There is significant political risk for candidates who prioritize tech and AI regulations over voters’ economic priorities.
BACKGROUND:
The American Edge Project is a coalition of domestic organizations representing a cross-section of U.S. innovators who are dedicated to telling the story about technology’s positive influence on America’s economy and the vital role innovation plays in our society. Former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, former U.S. Representative Chris Carney, and former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith are directors of the American Edge Project. AEP’s National Security Advisory Board is comprised of Former White House Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend; retired four-star General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., United States Marine Corps (USMC), who served as former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and former Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Michael J. Morell. Former U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) serve as Co-Chairs of the Project’s Economic Advisory Board. Former U.S. Representative Greg Walden (R-OR) and Former U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) serve as Co-Chairs of the Project’s Open & Accessible Internet Advisory Board.
Visit AmericanEdgeProject.org for more information.