‘States should have a say’: Candidates for governor race to take on AI regulation - POLITICO

A POLITICO review of state-level legislation found 18 laws in 13 states that contradict the White House's preemption framework, according to an article published by POLITICO on September 19, 2026. The review found the laws were led by both Republicans and Democrats. The article's headline states that candidates for governor are racing to take on AI regulation, and quotes the position that 'states should have a say.'

This week, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called for the federal government to step up and regulate the AI industry, according to the article. Cox urged Washington to establish a consistent national framework for frontier AI. Both positions appear in the same article as the POLITICO review of state-level legislation, which counted 18 laws in 13 states that contradict the White House's preemption framework. Shapiro's call and Cox's request both concern the federal government's role in regulating artificial intelligence, including frontier AI. The article excerpt does not identify the 13 states or the specific laws.

POLITICO frames the candidates' attention to AI regulation as part of a broader disagreement over which level of government sets the rules. The review counted the 18 laws in 13 states as contradicting the White House's preemption framework, with both Republicans and Democrats leading the legislation. The article's headline states that candidates for governor are racing to take on AI regulation, and the quoted phrase 'states should have a say' summarises the position the article attributes to those candidates. POLITICO published the article on September 19, 2026.