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Tech and business interests are pouring money into competitive California legislative races as the midterms approach, hoping to defeat left-wing Democrats where possible.

Due to California’s top-two primary system, some of these races pit establishment-minded Democrats against leftists, while Republicans are facing off against Democrats in districts where the GOP is competitive. Rent control, crime, Israel, and AI regulation are some of the key issues dividing the candidates.

One race in Santa Ana illustrates the split: City Councilman Jessie Lopez, the left-wing candidate for state Assembly, defeated a local recall attempt in 2023, primarily funded by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association (SAPOA) in response to her soft-on-crime politics. She also voted to pass citywide rent control in 2021. Two tech-backed PACs, Grow California and California Leads, are spending millions in the Assembly race to elect her opponent and fellow city councilman, David Penaloza.

Other races in the state mirror the ideological divide that has become a regular feature of intra-Democratic politics throughout the country. In the Assembly race to represent the Sonoma and Marin County region in Northern California, left-wing Democratic candidate Jackie Elward castigated her Democratic opponent Eric Lucan as a tool of tech interests. According to her, “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs.” Like Penaloza, Lucan has received significant backing from Grow California.

Chris Larsen, a billionaire cryptocurrency founder, is one of the primary funders of Grow California, and has been heavily involved in San Francisco politics. He was responsible for funding the city’s network of Flock cameras, which has helped to dramatically reduce the number of car break-ins in the city. Flock, of course, has become another lightning-rod issue splitting establishment and left-wing Democrats – as well as different factions on the Right.

California doesn’t need to see a return to Defund the Police lunacy should the opportunity present itself, and to that end, any tech money keeping left-wing Democrats out of power is welcome. However, concerns about rapid AI advancement, as well as the right level of housing development in a state known for its natural beauty, could possibly bolster anti-tech candidates, and not exclusively among Democrats. As Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates proliferate nationwide and skepticism of new technology rises, we will soon know where California voters come down in that debate.