AI campaign ads and deepfakes transform 2026 midterms as states enforce new election rules

AI in Elections Dominates 2026 Midterms Landscape

AI campaign ads have become central to the 2026 midterms, with candidates across the political spectrum deploying deepfake attack ads and AI-generated content to reshape traditional campaign strategies3

3

. The technology's accessibility and lower production costs are driving widespread adoption, but the surge in AI-generated election disinformation is forcing states to confront how materially deceptive media threatens election integrity1

1

.

Around 29 states have enacted AI election rules to address deepfakes, creating vastly different experiences for voters depending on location1

1

. Michigan requires disclosure when AI is used in campaign ads, joining many states with similar transparency mandates. Meanwhile, Minnesota and Texas prohibit political deepfakes for specific periods before elections, and Maryland maintains a year-round ban2

2

. However, similar laws in California and Hawaii were struck down on First Amendment grounds, highlighting the legal complexities of regulating AI in elections2

2

.

Oregon and Michigan Test State Regulations

Oregon's Senate Bill 1571, passed in 2024, faces its first major test this election cycle following complaints about AI-generated campaign ads run by Jonathan Lockwood during the 5th Congressional District primary2

2

. One ad depicted opponent Janelle Bynum and Governor Tina Kotek with glowing red eyes chasing scared children, while another showed Bynum in a McDonald's uniform handing a drag queen keys to a girl's locker room2

2

. Lockwood defended the ads as obviously satirical, but the Secretary of State's office launched an investigation in July. If found guilty, he could face prosecution and fines up to $10,0002

2

.

Michigan's AI election deepfake laws also entered the spotlight during the governor's race, where former candidate state Senator Aric Nesbitt used AI-generated likenesses of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and others in campaign videos1

1

. U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers went viral for an AI image making him appear more muscular1

1

. Michigan's Department of Attorney General warns that increased AI use makes it harder for voters to distinguish fact from fiction1

1

.

AI Reshapes Campaign Strategies Across Party Lines

The embrace of AI-generated campaign ads spans political campaigns nationwide, with candidates using the technology for viral social media posts and self-promotion3

3

. Last week, the American Principles Project released a digital ad supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that depicted opponent James Talarico as a doctor performing gender-reassignment surgery on a child3

3

. Terry Schilling, the organization's president, defended using AI "in the same way that you would use political cartoons," noting it was "much cheaper" than traditional production3

3

.

Other viral attack ads include former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt depicted as a hero in a dystopian hellscape while incumbent Mayor Karen Bass appeared as the Joker, accumulating over 4 million views3

3

. In New York, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman faces an ethics complaint over AI ads against Governor Kathy Hochul, with the state Democratic Committee arguing the ads "distort reality"3

3

. High-profile Democrats including California Governor Gavin Newsom and former New York City Mayor Eric Adams have also utilized the technology3

3

.

Federal Inaction Creates Patchwork of State Laws

Despite years of proposals, federal lawmakers have yet to establish baseline standards for AI in elections, leaving states to move faster and create different realities for voters1

1

. Congress's first AI deepfakes law, the Take It Down Act effective in May, addressed nonconsensual intimate imagery rather than political campaigns, though this issue has collided with attack ads targeting women lawmakers1

1

. House Democrats indicate they plan to push election deepfake legislation if they regain power, but implementation challenges persist2

2

.

As AI's image, audio, and video capabilities advance, content becomes increasingly realistic and accessible to campaigns and everyday users3

3

. Research by Daniel Schiff, an assistant professor at Purdue University studying deepfakes, suggests that while most people can identify AI-generated content, this recognition doesn't necessarily prevent its influence on voters3

3

. The ethical debates surrounding whether deepfake content could mislead voters or disrupt democratic processes continue as proponents argue AI-generated content simply represents a new, more affordable chapter in campaign advertising3

3

.