This election season is seeing a range of creative, and sometimes bizarre, political advertisements fueled by artificial intelligence. From a mock drug commercial to a show-tune parody featuring politicians dancing along to Kendrick Lamar, the midterms are presenting a unique tech-driven campaign approach to attract voters.
According to the Wesleyan Media Project, campaigns and related groups had poured nearly $80 million into at least 164 political ads utilizing or enhanced by AI as of September 4. With Election Day on November 3 looming, these AI-generated ads are being deployed in critical senate and governor races, although some have drawn mockery from critics claiming they’re nothing more than “AI slop.”
‘Fake AI Fetish Videos’
Citizens for Sanity, a group linked to former Trump advisor Gene Hamilton, invested six figures in an AI ad that transforms Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico into the iconic Maria from “The Sound of Music.” The Daily Caller highlighted this on June 9.
In an AI-crafted video posted on X, the transformed Talarico sings updated lyrics to “My Favorite Things,” focusing on the topic of gender transitions for minors, referencing his earlier remarks about supporting “the trans children” during a podcast interview in August 2023.
Even after winning the Democratic nomination over Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, Talarico declared during a different podcast episode that he stands against child sex changes.
“Boys in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Girls dosed with hormones til they grow mustaches. Changing the gender of all your offspring. These are a few of my favorite things,” goes the AI-generated rendition.
NEW: The Trump-aligned org Citizens for Sanity is dropping a six-figure ad buy in the Texas Senate race. The ad is a 15 second clip of AI-generated James Talarico singing a “trans kids” rendition of “Favorite Things.” Obtained first by @DailyCaller: https://t.co/JNY8vxYueG
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) June 9, 2026
“Citizens for sanity” as they produce these bizarre fake AI videos featuring a man in dresses,” one user on X commented regarding the ad.
“Keep burning money,” added Rogue DNC in response to the video post.
‘The Political Delusion Pill’
Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor, shared an AI-driven attack ad on X that showcased incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in a spoof drug commercial for “delusion pills.”
The ad presents Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, stating, “Introducing Kathy, the political delusion pill for New Yorkers who would rather not think about what four more years could actually cost them.”
@KathyHochul and @ZohranKMamdani think they can cure New York’s cost-of-living crisis with excuses, empty promises, and “delusion pills.” The real side effects of their policies aren’t a joke: 48 utility rate hikes, higher taxes, uncontrollable government spending, and businesses fleeing our state every single day. I have a different plan for New York. As Governor, I will deliver zero state income tax on your first $50,000, $100,000 for joint filers, cut your utility bills in half, and end the government waste. Don’t let them tax New York into the ground. Help me make New York affordable again.
— Bruce Blakeman (@NassauExec) September 1, 2026
In response, state Democrats filed a complaint with the Board of Elections on August 10, claiming Blakeman’s AI ads are “materially deceptive.” Blakeman, also the Nassau County Executive, countered that voters “like satire.”
‘Celebrate 9/11’
Front Line Action, a super PAC associated with Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz, invested over $90,000 in an AI-generated ad directed at Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, according to FEC filings.
The advertisement, titled “Family Values,” features an AI simulation of El-Sayed playing a board game with his half-sister and streamer Hasan Piker, passing cards that read “Death to America” and “Celebrate 9/11.” A narrator warns viewers, “El-Sayed isn’t playing games, and his family values are wrong for Michigan.”
This ad was uploaded to YouTube on September 11 and includes images of women in burqas.
“[Republicans] are so desperate that they are resorting to cheap AI generated ads filled with falsehoods and bad faith attacks,” commented Cole Wozniak, El-Sayed’s campaign spokesperson in a CNN statement.
‘Absolute Nothingness’
The campaign account for Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn shared an AI clip showing her performing Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us,” mimicking his 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance. Blackburn was joined by other Tennessee Republicans, including Senator Bill Hagerty and former Mayor Glenn Jacobs, who appeared as his wrestling character Kane.
“Well, a county commissioner made the video and we reposted it, and it’s just for fun. We encourage everyone to vote!” Blackburn explained to WZTV.
Tomorrow. Ready to roll. https://t.co/YiWREmkjyx
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) October 13, 2026
“What in the absolute nothingness is this?” one user remarked about the video on X.
Another user, Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican Representative from Illinois, commented on the ad, “Boomer thinks AI makes her look cool.”
Is This A ‘Game Changer’?
While these ads might attract attention, their overall effectiveness in influencing voter opinions remains uncertain.
“I’m skeptical that these ads are any more persuasive than traditional political advertisements,” said Travis Ridout, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project.
The project found that 83 percent of AI ad spending tracked came from Republican candidates and their allies. However, without federal regulations on disclosing AI usage, the actual expenditure on these ads could be even higher.
