Marsha Blackburn Responds to Criticism of AI-Generated Campaign Video

<p>Tennessee GOP Senator Marsha Blackburn on Wednesday addressed criticism regarding her campaign's AI-generated video that referenced rapper Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.</p><p><a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/2110116845688590460?s=20">The video</a>, posted on October 13, featured Blackburn, who is running for governor, alongside other Republican figures on a football field ahead of the first day of early voting.</p><p>“Tomorrow. Ready to roll,” Blackburn stated on X.</p><p>After voting early in Brentwood, a Nashville suburb, Blackburn was questioned by The Daily Wire about the video, which faced backlash from some liberals who accused her campaign of exploiting black culture for political purposes.</p><p>“There is a county commissioner that made the video and put it up, and I think Congressman [Tim] Burchett reposted it. We reposted it, and it’s a funsies,” Blackburn said. “Everybody get out and vote!”</p><p>The 12-second clip included Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), state Sen. Brent Taylor (R-TN), and former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, known in the professional wrestling world as Kane.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tomorrow. Ready to roll. https://t.co/YiWREmkjyx</p><p>— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/2110116845688590460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2026</a></p></blockquote><p>Using AI, the video depicted Blackburn singing into a microphone as Lamar’s “Not Like Us” played in the background. Lamar performed the diss track, aimed at fellow rapper Drake, during the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6148559-blackburn-ai-kendrick-lamar-video/">The Hill reported</a>.</p><p>The video received criticism from Democrat gubernatorial nominee Jerri Green, who questioned the use of AI in political campaigns.</p><p>“When I say please stop using AI to support our campaign, this is what I mean…,” Green stated.</p><p>Blackburn has advocated for AI regulations. Last month, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blocked Blackburn's attempt to pass the bipartisan NO FAKES Act, which would allow individuals to sue over artificial intelligence “deepfakes.”</p><p>“Our bill would establish clear guardrails that protect our creators in Tennessee and across the entire country, in addition to establishing a federal intellectual property right in every American’s voice and visual likeness,” she said in a floor speech, <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/09/30/congress/cruz-says-no-to-no-fakes-act-01100986">according to Politico.</a></p><p>Tennessee voters are selecting a successor to outgoing Republican Governor Bill Lee. Blackburn, a supporter of former President Trump, has committed to collaborating with the Trump administration to deport illegal immigrants, address violent crime, and expand school choice. She has also promised to maintain Tennessee as a <a href="https://marshablackburn.com/issue/ensuring-tennessee-remains-a-safe-haven-for-conservatives/">safe haven</a> for conservatives.</p><p>Blackburn attended President Trump’s rally over the weekend in Clarksville, where she pledged to make Tennessee America’s leading conservative state.</p><p>“We are working together as a team to make certain that Tennessee never becomes California,” she said to <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2109005682406256654?s=20">applause</a>.</p><p>If Blackburn wins the governorship and vacates her Senate seat, her departure would create a vacancy requiring an appointment and a subsequent special election.</p><p>Blackburn did not specify whom she would appoint or what qualities she would seek in a successor, stating to The Daily Wire that she is focused on November and will provide more details then.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479601">Cook Political Report</a> rates the Tennessee governor’s race as Solid Republican.</p>