In what may be one of the weirdest political stunts of the year, Virginia Republican lieutenant governor candidate John Reid’s attempt to embarrass his Democratic opponent through an AI-generated debate has spectacularly backfired, becoming an internet laughing stock instead.
When Democratic State Senator Gazala Hashmi declined Reid’s debate invitation, rather than accepting her decision, the Republican candidate took matters into his own hands in the most unconventional way possible. Reid produced a YouTube video featuring an AI-generated moderator and an AI version of his opponent, then proceeded to debate these computer-generated images on his channel.
The production quality alone raised eyebrows. The AI-generated moderator appeared as a static image with an unmoving mouth, while Hashmi’s AI avatar consisted of a still photograph that awkwardly dissolved in and out of frame. Even the backdrop showed visible curtain folds, and Reid’s microphone appeared turned off during portions of the exchange. The overall effect resembled something between a low-budget science fiction film and a fever dream.
Reid populated the AI Hashmi’s responses by pulling policy positions directly from her campaign website, feeding them into artificial intelligence to generate her voice. Topics ranged from Virginia’s economic stability to childcare and workers’ compensation.
Ironically, when language analysis was applied to both opening statements, Hashmi’s AI-generated introduction was deemed “more coherent and policy focused” compared to Reid’s immediate personal attack criticizing her for not appearing in person.
The cringe factor intensified as Reid addressed the AI avatar directly, saying, “Well, it’s too bad that Senator Hashimi won’t appear for a real debate. If she’s not willing to engage in her own campaign for lieutenant governor, I don’t know why anybody thinks that she’d be able to fight for anything in Washington DC.”
The stunt quickly drew comparisons to Clint Eastwood’s infamous empty chair debate with an imaginary President Obama at the 2012 Republican National Convention, though commentators noted this might actually be worse since the AI opponent could at least respond professionally.
Social media erupted with mockery, with one observer noting it resembled “a crazy man’s teddy bear picnic” and another comparing it to a “Tim and Eric sketch.” Critics pointed out that Reid missed a golden opportunity to become an internet legend by not getting into a heated argument with his computer-generated opponent and dramatically storming off set.
The fundamental question remains: if Reid struggled to win a debate against an opponent who wasn’t even present, what does that say about his readiness for office?