A conservative super PAC has launched a $10 million advertising campaign in Texas, with its initial 30-second spot targeting Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico. The advertisement features artificial intelligence-generated footage that portrays Talarico, who is running against Republican incumbent Ken Paxton, as a doctor performing a sex-change surgery on a young girl.
The ad, created by the American Principles Project PAC, begins with a child playing before transitioning to an operating room scene. A narrator states, "The trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries." The spot concludes with a call to action to "Vote for Ken Paxton on November 3."
"This AI deepfake ad is flat-out lying: James does not support gender reassignment surgery for minors," stated JT Enis, a spokesperson for Talarico, in response to the ad. Enis added that Ken Paxton and his supporters are employing "shameful scare tactics" and using children as "political props" because they lack substantive policy solutions.
Talarico's campaign has pointed to previous public statements where he has expressed opposition to sex reassignment surgeries for minors. The campaign also highlighted Talarico's competitive standing against Paxton, who has faced multiple scandals, including securities fraud charges and impeachment proceedings in the Texas legislature.
The American Principles Project PAC, which focuses on social conservative issues, intends to deploy similar messaging in other battleground states, including Wisconsin and Georgia. This aggressive advertising strategy follows past anti-transgender messaging that has been perceived as effective in political campaigns, notably in an advertisement targeting former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election cycle.
According to campaign materials from the American Principles Project, the advertisement aims to highlight Talarico's past statements and legislative record. The group cited instances where Talarico suggested a non-binary interpretation of God and indicated there are six sexes. During his tenure in the Texas state legislature, Talarico opposed bills that would restrict transgender females from participating in girls' sports and legislation requiring parental notification about a child's transition in schools. American Principles Project President Terry Schilling stated that the ad "exposes the truth behind the seminary student facade."