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Congressman Derrick Van Orden Accused of Posting Deepfake Videos of Opponent in Wisconsin Congressional Race

Congressman Derrick Van Orden Accused of Posting Deepfake Videos of Opponent in Wisconsin Congressional Race

Congressman Derrick Van Orden, a Republican representing Prairie du Chien, is reportedly posting deepfake videos of his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Cooke, online. These videos manipulate Cooke's image to falsely depict her saying things she did not. This situation is unfolding in Wisconsin's highly competitive congressional race and highlights the increasing use of AI-powered images in American political campaigns. According to Bill Gates, executive director of the Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory at Arizona State University, such videos are effective at grabbing attention. While Wisconsin is one of 31 states with laws regulating deepfakes in politics, requiring disclaimers for manipulated images, Van Orden's videos do not contain such explicit disclaimers, though the words 'Made with Grok Imagine' appear elsewhere in the posts. It remains unclear if these videos meet the legal definition of content regulated by the state law. Cooke has condemned the videos as 'nasty mudslinging and character defamation,...

Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Proposes Gubernatorial Debate Amidst Candidate Non-Commitment

Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Proposes Gubernatorial Debate Amidst Candidate Non-Commitment

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) has proposed a gubernatorial debate for October 9 at 7 p.m., continuing a 36-year tradition. This announcement was made on August 17. Separately, TMJ4 plans to host a town hall debate on October 8 at 6 p.m. at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Zelazo Center. Both events aim to feature Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who are the nominees for governor. However, spokespeople for both Crowley and Tiffany's campaigns stated on August 18 that neither candidate has yet committed to any specific debates. Early in-person voting for the election is scheduled to begin on October 20. The WBA debate is planned to be an hour long, moderated by veteran broadcast journalist Jill Geisler, with questions from a panel of television journalists from across the state. A data team will also provide background and context online and on social media during the debate.

Harriet Hageman Secures Republican Nomination for U.S. Senate in Wyoming

Harriet Hageman Secures Republican Nomination for U.S. Senate in Wyoming

Harriet Hageman, currently Wyoming's sole U.S. House representative, has won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat. This victory sets the stage for a general election contest against Democrat James Byrd. Hageman, who received an endorsement from President Trump, successfully defeated four other Republican challengers in the primary election. She is now vying to replace the retiring Senator Cynthia Lummis. Hageman's campaign has focused on key conservative principles, including advocating for low taxes, protecting property rights, promoting domestic energy production, and implementing strict immigration laws. Her win in the primary highlights the continued influence of President Trump's endorsements within the Republican party, particularly in states like Wyoming.

Fake Polling Website Run by 21-Year-Old Spreads Misleading Election Data in Key U.S. Races

Fake Polling Website Run by 21-Year-Old Spreads Misleading Election Data in Key U.S. Races

A 21-year-old recent college graduate, Rahil Prakash, was behind an anonymous website called Median Strategies that published widely shared fake election polling data in Wisconsin, Nevada, and California. The website abruptly shut down after inquiries from the Los Angeles Times, with Prakash admitting it was a 'short-term social experiment' to see how easily fabricated polling could infiltrate the political information ecosystem without independent verification. The fake polls included one showing Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo leading by five points before the November general election, and another suggesting a significant lead for a candidate in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary who ultimately lost. Prakash stated he was motivated by a significant polling miss in the Michigan Senate primary and was surprised by how quickly his fake data spread, even being cited by news outlets and political aggregators.

DSA's Influence on Democratic Party Challenged by Mixed Election Results

DSA's Influence on Democratic Party Challenged by Mixed Election Results

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is actively working to reshape the Democratic Party, demonstrating a notable transformation from a small movement to a significant political force. This effort has seen mixed results in recent elections. While DSA-backed candidates like Angie Nixon have achieved upset victories, such as defeating establishment favorite Alex Vindman in the Florida Democratic Senate primary despite being heavily outspent, other candidates have faced setbacks. For instance, Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist state legislator in Wisconsin, narrowly lost the Democratic primary for governor to David Crowley. This loss, which followed scrutiny over Hong's past positions on issues like abolishing the police, has led some establishment Democrats, including former DNC chairman Jaime Harrison, to question the DSA's broader appeal in swing states and its ability to win in areas crucial for securing a majority. Republicans are closely observing these developments, eager to portray the enti...

How the Wisconsin governor’s race became a data center hate-off

How the Wisconsin governor’s race became a data center hate-off

Both candidates are trying to surf the anti-tech wave — without fully betraying the AI boom's beneficiaries.

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Data Center Regulation and Tax Incentives

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Data Center Regulation and Tax Incentives

The Wisconsin gubernatorial race is increasingly focusing on the issue of data centers, with Republican candidate U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Democratic nominee Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley presenting differing approaches to their regulation and tax incentives. While neither candidate supports a moratorium on new data center construction, both advocate for new guardrails. Tiffany has criticized Crowley, labeling him 'Data Center David Crowley' and accusing him of being too favorable to the industry, particularly regarding tax incentives. Tiffany supports repealing a tax credit for data centers, while Crowley has not committed to doing so, instead advocating for a more rigorous review of whether taxpayers receive sufficient value from existing incentives. Crowley emphasizes stringent regulation for both existing and prospective data centers, including requiring companies to bring their own clean energy, contributing to the state's Focus on Energy fund, and using union labor for construction. A rec...

Incumbent, challenger with the same name and ex-congresswoman face off in Alaska's US Senate primary

Incumbent, challenger with the same name and ex-congresswoman face off in Alaska's US Senate primary

A U.S. Senate contest featuring a former congresswoman and a challenger with the same name as the incumbent headlines Alaska's primary

Fake Polling by Median Strategies Raises Concerns About Election Survey Credibility

Fake Polling by Median Strategies Raises Concerns About Election Survey Credibility

Median Strategies, a previously unknown organization, admitted to fabricating at least three election polls across three U.S. states, including a Los Angeles mayoral race poll that was promoted by Mayor Karen Bass's campaign. The organization stated its purpose was a 'short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.' The fake polls claimed to evaluate support in the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial race in Nevada, and the mayoral race in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles poll, which falsely showed Mayor Bass leading, was shared on social media by her campaign and covered by a news outlet before its fabrication was revealed. Median Strategies has since shuttered its website, and the Bass campaign has deleted its social media post, defending itself by noting the poll's initial media coverage.

Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot

Americans have only elected 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot

Florida Republicans have settled on Byron Donalds, a congressman, as their candidate for governor, and that now makes eight Black major party nominees for governors this year

Mysterious Company Median Strategies Fabricates Election Polls, Raising Concerns About Unvetted Surveys

Mysterious Company Median Strategies Fabricates Election Polls, Raising Concerns About Unvetted Surveys

Median Strategies, a previously unknown organization, admitted to fabricating election poll results across three U.S. states. The company claimed these polls were part of a 'short-term social experiment' to examine how unverified polling information spreads within the political information ecosystem. The fake polls included a Los Angeles mayoral race survey, which incumbent Democrat Karen Bass's campaign shared on social media, and surveys for the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin and the gubernatorial race in Nevada. Median Strategies has since shuttered its website and withdrawn all previously published polling releases, stating they should not be treated as genuine data. The company offered no explanation for who was behind the 'experiment' or its purpose, and did not respond to inquiries from the Associated Press.

The real “electability” question is about Donald Trump

The real “electability” question is about Donald Trump

Democratic infighting is distracting from the top story of the midterms.