In the Running: Burner phones, AI deepfakes and dance-offs in Texas’ brutal Senate ad war - Yahoo

In the heated 2026 Texas Senate Republican primary runoff, candidates deployed AI deepfakes in attack ads. The ads targeted personal conduct and political affiliations, moving beyond traditional policy disputes.

What happened

One ad used AI to depict a candidate partying with women in a parody of the B-52s' "Love Shack." Another ad showed AI-generated lookalikes of a candidate dancing with a member of the opposing party, suggesting political alignment. A different ad portrayed a candidate relaxing on a beach during a congressional recess, accusing him of neglecting presidential priorities.