Sen deepfake video — Oct 2026

The Mississippi Republican Party has formally requested that the state attorney general investigate Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom regarding the use of an AI-generated video. The party alleges that the campaign violated state law by distributing content that falsely depicts U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith within 90 days of an election.

What happened

The Mississippi Republican Party, led by Executive Director Mike Hurst, filed a request with Attorney General Lynn Fitch to investigate whether the Colom campaign violated Miss. Code 97-13-47. The statute prohibits the knowing distribution of AI-generated media that falsely depicts a candidate within the final 90 days of an election. The party is also seeking an injunction to prevent the campaign from using the video or similar AI-generated content.

The controversy centers on a 19-second video circulated on social media. According to the Republican Party, the video uses deepfake technology to show a woman resembling Senator Hyde-Smith appearing frightened while fleeing from a crowd of reporters. Mike Hurst stated that the law is clear regarding the prohibition of manufacturing fake videos of opponents to present to voters as authentic during the final weeks of an election cycle.

In response to the allegations, the Colom campaign manager characterized the request for an investigation as an act of desperation and an attempt to weaponize public office against political opponents. The campaign dismissed the video as a joke and redirected the focus toward questions regarding Senator Hyde-Smith's record, including her voting history and the use of campaign funds. The campaign maintained that the focus should remain on issues impacting Mississippi farmers, small businesses, and working families.