Republican candidate debates AI deepfake opponent after she declines

Republican candidate John Reid streamed a 40-minute “debate” with an AI deepfake of his Democratic opponent for Virginia lieutenant governor, Ghazala F. Hashmi, after she declined his debate requests. The bizarre political stunt highlights growing concerns about AI’s role in spreading misinformation and manipulating political discourse as the 2024 election cycle intensifies.

What happened: Reid created an AI-generated version of state senator Hashmi and debated it on his YouTube channel, standing at a podium while addressing a TV screen displaying the fake candidate’s responses.

• The AI Hashmi delivered opening statements first, allowing Reid to easily counter the fabricated positions.
• Reid justified the stunt as the “best-possible alternative” after his opponent repeatedly declined debate invitations.
• The event lasted nearly an hour, complete with an AI debate moderator introducing both candidates.

Why this matters: The incident represents a troubling escalation in AI’s intrusion into democratic processes, raising questions about election integrity and voter manipulation.

• Political strategist Bob Holsworth warned that “unless there are norms and rules that emerge in terms of the use of AI, you’re likely to see it used in much more sophisticated ways in 2026.”
• The stunt coincided with other AI political manipulation, including Trump’s recent AI-generated video depicting him as a fighter pilot attacking protesters with diarrhea.
• A separate AI deepfake of Irish presidential candidate Catherine Connolly falsely showed her withdrawing from her race, which she called a “disgraceful attempt to mislead voters and undermine our democracy.”

The bigger picture: Political campaigns are increasingly weaponizing AI technology to create propaganda and attack opponents, often with little regard for accuracy or democratic norms.

• The Trump administration has embraced AI imagery for political mockery and propaganda in content resembling “scam mobile game ads.”
• These examples, while sometimes absurd, demonstrate AI’s potential to fundamentally alter political communication and voter perception.

What experts are saying: Political observers view this as part of a broader trend toward AI-driven political manipulation.

• “This is where we are right now, like it or not,” Holsworth told the Washington Post, emphasizing the urgent need for regulatory frameworks.
• The incident underscores what experts describe as the “ultimate strawman” fallacy taken to its technological extreme.