His opponent refused to debate. So this GOP candidate sparred with AI bot instead
CLARIFICATION: The story has been updated to make clear that the AI video released by the National Republican Senatorial Committee features an authentic statement made by Sen. Chuck Schumer.
The updated story continues below.
After his opponent declined to debate, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Virginia took an unusual step: sparring with an AI-generated version of her instead.
At one podium stood GOP candidate John Reid, a businessman and broadcaster. While at the other, a television screen flickered with an image of his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi.
For 40 minutes, the man squared off against the machine, discussing issues like the minimum wage, electric vehicles and education policy.
Hashmi’s responses were voiced using basic artificial intelligence and taken from “her own verified quotes,” according to Reid’s campaign.
The full back-and-forth was streamed live on YouTube on Oct. 21 and dubbed “The Debate That Should Have Happened.”
Reid said he opted for the odd format after his rival refused to participate in a debate for 125 days.
“It’s unfortunate that a sitting State Senator is either too afraid of her own record or too calculating to face the voters directly,” he said. “But I will always stand on my own two feet, and in an unscripted format, answer questions from the media and the public. That’s what leadership looks like.”
The Republican Party of Virginia congratulated Reid on his performance, stating, “John Reid won handily,” and adding, “Shamefully, a computer had more courage than Hidin’ Hashmi.”
The Democratic Party of Virginia, meanwhile, said Hashmi had emerged victorious from the “fake debate.”
Ava Pitruzzello, spokesperson for Hashmi’s campaign, told McClatchy News, “Reid’s failed use of deepfakes is a desperate move straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook. While we appreciate that AI Ghazala did share her vision like her commitment to public education and reproductive rights — it’s pretty clear, Reid only cares about shoddy gimmicks and not governing. Maybe he should focus on voters instead of videos...”
The debate comes ahead of the Nov. 4 election. A recent Virginia Commonwealth University poll found both candidates in a dead heat, and a Kaplan Strategies poll found Hashmi leading Reid 48% to 41%.
It also comes as AI is increasingly being woven into political messaging.
President Donald Trump frequently shares AI-generated content — including a video depicting him dumping excrement on U.S. cities. And the National Republican Senatorial Committee recently released an AI video of Sen. Chuck Schumer discussing the government shutdown, though it used real quotes from the New York lawmaker.
Experts have long warned that the use of AI in politics poses significant risks as it can make it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated.
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 12:11 PM with the headline "His opponent refused to debate. So this GOP candidate sparred with AI bot instead."