AI-manipulated social media videos linked to Russian disinformation network Storm-1516 have surfaced to malign Democratic Senate candidates Sherrod Brown of Ohio and James Talarico of Texas during the final stretch of 2026 midterm voting. The deepfake clips deploy fabricated claims using real citizens' likenesses, including former Brown intern Haya Akbik. While X suspended initial accounts, circulating copies showcase ongoing challenges in curbing high-tech election interference.
Russian AI disinformation videos
- ▪Clemson University professor Darren Linvill stated that accounts sharing the disinformation videos targeting Sherrod Brown and James Talarico previously shared content from Russian network Storm-1516.
- ▪AI-manipulated social media videos linked to Russia misused real people's names and photos to spread disinformation about Democratic Senate candidates Sherrod Brown and James Talarico.
- ▪Dartmouth College professor Hany Farid concluded that the video targeting Sherrod Brown was a low-tech fake, while the clip targeting James Talarico was likely AI-generated.
Sherrod Brown Ohio Senate race
- ▪The disinformation video targeting Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio depicted a fake newscast featuring photos and fabricated claims attributed to his former intern Haya Akbik.
- ▪Former intern Haya Akbik stated to The Associated Press that claims attributed to her in the video targeting Sherrod Brown were completely fabricated and damaging to her reputation.
James Talarico Texas Senate race
- ▪James Talarico spokesperson JT Ennis stated that adversaries are slandering Talarico with AI deepfakes, foreign bots, and conspiracy theories because they cannot defeat him with the truth.
- ▪Neil Bush and Barbara Bush, relatives of former President George W. Bush, supported James Talarico's campaign, though George W. Bush issued no endorsement.
- ▪Democratic candidate James Talarico is running against Republican Ken Paxton in the 2026 Texas Senate election.
- ▪The disinformation video targeting Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was framed as a direct-to-camera confessional from a former student of Talarico.
Social media content removal
- ▪Social media platform X removed initial posts sharing the disinformation videos targeting Sherrod Brown and James Talarico and suspended the posting accounts for rules violations.
- ▪Copies of the Russian-linked disinformation videos targeting Democratic Senate candidates remained accessible on social media on October 27, 2026, gaining hundreds of shares.
- ▪Former intern Haya Akbik stated that the fake video featuring her name and image demonstrates the necessity of Congressional regulation of artificial intelligence on the internet.
Foreign election interference tactics
- ▪The Russian network Storm-1516 previously targeted Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz during the 2024 election cycle.
- ▪The Russian Embassy in Washington and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the 2026 disinformation videos.
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