Blab Politics
America PAC Launches Anti-Trans Ads Targeting Democratic Senate Candidates Ahead of 2026 Midterms
America PAC, the super‑PAC founded by Elon Musk, has released a wave of social‑media ads that focus on transgender people and criticize Democratic Senate candidates. In less than a week, the group posted at least 38 ads on Meta and Google platforms. The ads claim that Democrats who win midterm seats would “put our daughters in danger” and push a “radical trans agenda.” The campaign’s focus on trans people is evident in the imagery, which often depicts trans women in exaggerated drag‑queen styles.
According to reports, two of the ads feature figures that appear to be trans women, but it is unclear whether the actors are real or the result of AI‑generated composites. The ads were briefly removed after The 19th, a progressive news outlet, asked Google whether the images violated the platform’s mandatory disclosure policy for AI‑generated political content. Google did not respond to a follow‑up inquiry, and the ads were later reinstated. America PAC has not commented on whether the imagery was created with artificial intelligence.
The ads are part of a broader strategy by the PAC to influence the 2026 midterm elections. The New York Times reported in July that Musk plans to spend at least $100 million to help elect Republicans in the fall. The PAC’s ads target Democratic nominees in Ohio, Texas, and other battleground states. In Ohio, an ad against former Senator Sherrod Brown shows a crossing guard with a blow‑out and heavy eye shadow in the background while a voiceover accuses Brown of giving the “green light to the radical trans agenda.” Brown, who lost his 2024 Senate seat to Republican Bernie Moreno, is running again in a special election against incumbent Senator Jon Husted.
In Texas, the PAC’s ads focus on Democratic nominee James Talarico. One ad shows a figure that looks like a trans woman wearing a sequined jersey dunking a basketball in front of young girls. The voiceover asks, “Tired of grown men dunking on female athletes?” Talarico has said that he will not use AI in his campaign’s advertising. “Every ad we put out is made by human beings, and we’re very proud of that fact,” he told CBS News. “They are using AI in order to mislead the people of this state, and that is completely consistent with a liar like Ken Paxton,” Talarico said.
Experts say images, even if fabricated, can trigger strong emotional reactions. “The over‑the‑top nature of this stuff, at some point, is going to wear out its welcome,” said Lanae Erickson, senior vice president at Third Way. “When you talk about transgender women in sports, people already have a vision of what that looks like, but they also know the difference between a grown man and a transgender girl.” She added that the more the ads exaggerate the issue, the more likely they are to turn off viewers.
The use of AI in political advertising is regulated unevenly across the country. Texas enacted a law in 2019 that prohibits the creation and distribution of deepfakes intended to influence election outcomes within 30 days of an election. Violations can result in a misdemeanor. The law applies only to state races, not federal ones, and has not been widely enforced. Ohio has not yet passed a law governing AI political content, although several bills have been introduced since 2024.
The broader trend of AI‑generated political content began during the Trump administration, the first to use such material in its messaging. The relationship between big tech companies and the White House has facilitated the spread of AI content, according to scholars. “It kind of lends authority to this fake narrative that they’ve just seen playing out on social media,” said Blair Attard‑Frost, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta.
At present, the status of the America PAC ads remains uncertain. The PAC has not responded to inquiries about the use of AI. The ads are still running on social‑media platforms, and the campaign has not announced any changes to its strategy. The next steps for the PAC and the candidates it targets will become clearer as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
According to reports, two of the ads feature figures that appear to be trans women, but it is unclear whether the actors are real or the result of AI‑generated composites. The ads were briefly removed after The 19th, a progressive news outlet, asked Google whether the images violated the platform’s mandatory disclosure policy for AI‑generated political content. Google did not respond to a follow‑up inquiry, and the ads were later reinstated. America PAC has not commented on whether the imagery was created with artificial intelligence.
The ads are part of a broader strategy by the PAC to influence the 2026 midterm elections. The New York Times reported in July that Musk plans to spend at least $100 million to help elect Republicans in the fall. The PAC’s ads target Democratic nominees in Ohio, Texas, and other battleground states. In Ohio, an ad against former Senator Sherrod Brown shows a crossing guard with a blow‑out and heavy eye shadow in the background while a voiceover accuses Brown of giving the “green light to the radical trans agenda.” Brown, who lost his 2024 Senate seat to Republican Bernie Moreno, is running again in a special election against incumbent Senator Jon Husted.
In Texas, the PAC’s ads focus on Democratic nominee James Talarico. One ad shows a figure that looks like a trans woman wearing a sequined jersey dunking a basketball in front of young girls. The voiceover asks, “Tired of grown men dunking on female athletes?” Talarico has said that he will not use AI in his campaign’s advertising. “Every ad we put out is made by human beings, and we’re very proud of that fact,” he told CBS News. “They are using AI in order to mislead the people of this state, and that is completely consistent with a liar like Ken Paxton,” Talarico said.
Experts say images, even if fabricated, can trigger strong emotional reactions. “The over‑the‑top nature of this stuff, at some point, is going to wear out its welcome,” said Lanae Erickson, senior vice president at Third Way. “When you talk about transgender women in sports, people already have a vision of what that looks like, but they also know the difference between a grown man and a transgender girl.” She added that the more the ads exaggerate the issue, the more likely they are to turn off viewers.
The use of AI in political advertising is regulated unevenly across the country. Texas enacted a law in 2019 that prohibits the creation and distribution of deepfakes intended to influence election outcomes within 30 days of an election. Violations can result in a misdemeanor. The law applies only to state races, not federal ones, and has not been widely enforced. Ohio has not yet passed a law governing AI political content, although several bills have been introduced since 2024.
The broader trend of AI‑generated political content began during the Trump administration, the first to use such material in its messaging. The relationship between big tech companies and the White House has facilitated the spread of AI content, according to scholars. “It kind of lends authority to this fake narrative that they’ve just seen playing out on social media,” said Blair Attard‑Frost, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta.
At present, the status of the America PAC ads remains uncertain. The PAC has not responded to inquiries about the use of AI. The ads are still running on social‑media platforms, and the campaign has not announced any changes to its strategy. The next steps for the PAC and the candidates it targets will become clearer as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
