In the shadow of a high-stakes gubernatorial race and ahead of a legislative session poised to define Florida’s digital future, the world’s largest technology firms are pouring millions of dollars into Sunshine State politics. Major corporations including Google, Meta, Amazon, and Anthropic are aggressively targeting state-level races, buying influence through a complex network of political committees and direct contributions.
The surge in spending comes as federal AI regulations remain stalled in Washington, shifting the regulatory battlefield to state capitals. Florida has emerged as a primary target for tech lobbyists after state lawmakers previously pushed for aggressive oversight of social media and artificial intelligence. With the 2027 legislative session expected to take up AI and data center policy as a priority, tech giants are working to ensure they have a seat at the table by supporting candidates from both major parties.
Watchdog groups describe the recent influx of cash as a calculated effort to gain access regardless of which party holds power. Marjorie Connolly, vice president of communications for the Tech Oversight Project, noted that the strategy—particularly for companies like Meta and Google—is to “buy a foot in the door.” This marks a notable shift from attempts to swing elections to a focus on long-term relationship building with the lawmakers who will ultimately draft the next wave of tech regulations.
The distribution of funds has been particularly heavy among Republican leadership. Political committees for State Representatives Jennifer Canady and Mike Redondo—who are positioned to serve as the next two House Speakers—have received at least $135,000 from a coalition of tech leaders including Google, Amazon, Anthropic, Meta, and Microsoft. These contributions are significant at the statehouse level, where even relatively small donations can provide outsized visibility.
In the Florida Senate, incoming President Jim Boyd received $25,000 from Meta, while his potential successor, State Senator Jay Trumbull, has seen at least $60,000 from Meta and Anthropic via political committees. The spending isn’t just about general leadership support; firms are also rewarding or seeking to influence lawmakers who were central to last session’s debates. Google directed funds toward the political committees of GOP State Senator Tom Leek, who sponsored previous AI regulation attempts, and State Senator Erin Grall, a key voice on tech policy who cast the lone dissenting vote on AI legislation earlier this year.
The gubernatorial race between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly has become a primary magnet for these funds. Ad buys from tech-backed PACs have already reached the multi-million-dollar mark in support of Donalds. However, the spending is not strictly partisan. Oracle has split its contributions, giving $10,000 each to the Florida Republican and Democratic Parties, while Amazon directed $40,000 toward the state Democratic Party and its associated campaign committee.
While direct contributions are public, much of the industry’s influence is moving through nondescript committees. Meta, for example, has utilized groups like “Making Our Tomorrow” to spend over $200,000 on ads and mailers for Democratic State Representative Fentrice Driskell. Another Meta-linked PAC, “Forge the Future Project,” spent $100,000 on digital ads and data services for Redondo. These advertisements often focus on general topics like property taxes or government overreach, avoiding any mention of AI or technology policy—a move analysts say is designed to support candidates without burdening them with the public backlash sometimes associated with Big Tech.
The push for data center expansion has also become a flashpoint. Developers behind major projects, including the Project Tango center in Palm Beach County and the Stonebridge center in Fort Meade, have donated more than $2 million this cycle. This has triggered political friction on the ground, with Senate candidate Angie Nixon hosting town halls to address local opposition to these facilities, and Jolly labeling his opponent as “Data Center Donalds.”
Incoming House Speaker Sam Garrison acknowledged the tech industry’s aggressive stance, noting that Florida, along with Texas and California, is viewed as a state that charts the course for national policy. Garrison signaled that the 2027 session would be a definitive moment for tech policy. While he expressed hope that the federal government might eventually take the lead, he maintained that Florida is prepared to act if Congress fails to establish national guardrails.
As the November elections approach, the mystery surrounding some of the funding continues. A group known as Propel Florida LLC, which has historically pushed for data privacy, contributed $5 million to a political committee during a previous cycle and has recently directed $765,000 into PACs supporting top Republican candidates. With millions of dollars circulating through these various channels, the outcome of the upcoming elections will determine the specific lawmakers tasked with governing the next generation of technological advancement in the state.
