Vikki Goodwin deepfake video — Sep 2026
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick faces scrutiny after using AI-generated campaign ads featuring unauthorized Texas university trademarks to mock Democratic candidates
- Incident date
- Sep 2026
- Target
- Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, and James Talarico
On September 5, 2026, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick posted a campaign advertisement on X that appears to utilize AI-generated content to depict Democratic candidates in staged scenarios at prominent Texas university football games. The 50-second video features Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, and James Talarico in settings involving the University of Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M, despite these institutions maintaining strict policies regarding the use of their branding in political campaigns.
What happened
The ad depicts Vikki Goodwin at a simulated UT football game, Gina Hinojosa interacting with the Texas Tech Masked Rider, and James Talarico at an Aggies game, all while mocking their policy positions. While the ad identifies the Dan Patrick campaign as the sponsor, it lacks a formal disclosure regarding its AI-generated nature. The universities involved restrict the use of their trademarks, such as the 12th Man, Guns Up, and the Longhorn silhouette, in political advertising. Although state law prohibits public universities from using resources to support political candidates, it remains unclear if university officials authorized the use of their branding in this instance.
Legal experts note that Texas law regarding deepfakes is difficult to enforce because it requires proving an intent to deceive and currently only applies to content distributed within 30 days of an election. Because this ad was released well ahead of the November elections, it falls outside the current legal window for such regulations. Previous legislative attempts to expand these laws to include mandatory disclosures for AI-generated political content failed to pass both chambers, leaving a regulatory gap. While some university officials have been contacted regarding the unauthorized use of their branding, responses have been inconsistent, with some institutions yet to address whether they will demand the ad's removal. The campaign has not responded to inquiries regarding whether they sought permission to use the university trademarks.