‘Jacksandrei Blakenekov’: Pro-Hurricanes post by US Senate candidate skewered by NC fans over AI…

In June 2026, U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley drew criticism from social media users and political analysts after posting an AI-generated image to his X account in support of the Carolina Hurricanes. The post, which accompanied a "Let’s go, Canes!" message during the Stanley Cup Final, featured a player that fans could not identify, leading to widespread mockery and accusations of the candidate being a "fair-weather fan."

What happened

The controversy centered on an image that fans identified as an AI-generated mashup, noting garbled letters on the jersey where the NHL logo should be and inconsistent helmet branding. Social media users quipped that the figure resembled a combination of players Jackson Blake and Andrei Svechnikov, dubbing the creation "Jacksandrei Blakenekov." Further investigation by followers revealed that other campaign posts on Instagram also utilized AI-generated imagery, including a player resembling Blake wearing forward Sebastian Aho’s jersey number.

When confronted with the backlash, Whatley acknowledged the use of artificial intelligence, describing the images as "just a graphic we created" and dismissing the controversy as "not a big deal." However, political analysts noted that the incident raised questions regarding the candidate's credibility. David McLennan, a professor at Meredith College, observed that the "bungled" nature of the AI content brought unnecessary scrutiny to the campaign, contrasting it with the approach of his opponent, Roy Cooper, who frequently engages with the team in a more traditional manner. The incident sparked a broader political exchange, with the state Democratic Party labeling Whatley a "fake fan," while the Republican Party attempted to deflect the criticism. Despite the attention, Whatley maintained that his focus remained on supporting the team during their playoff run.