It is a strange time to watch politics and artificial intelligence overlap, and a recent incident involving Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers shows how odd things can get. An AI-edited photo of the Republican candidate spread widely on X. The image showed the 63-year-old former congressman with a heavily exaggerated physique, including sharply defined pecs and large biceps that looked ready to burst out of his shirt.
The photo was allegedly shared on X by Abby Ronson, a political operative at the Republican PR firm Convergence Media. She posted the picture with a birthday message, writing, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Michigan’s next Senator, @MikeRogersForMI!!!” followed by, “LET’S GET TO WORK 💪🏻🇺🇸”
According to The Daily Beast, the photo was altered enough to carry an automated “Made with AI” tag, a feature on X that helps users identify when synthetic media is being presented. The disclaimer made the heavy editing clear to anyone who saw the post.
Online users traced the image back to a 2024 parade photo
Online users quickly looked into where the post came from. The original image was taken by Detroit News staff photographer David Guralnick during an appearance Rogers made at a Fourth of July parade in 2024. Placed side by side, the two photos show a clear difference, with the real version of Rogers looking like an ordinary person.
Democratic candidate Mallory McMorrow, who is running against Rogers, responded to the situation. She shared a side-by-side comparison of the real photo and the AI-altered one, captioning her post, “This is gender affirming care.”
Other competitive contests this cycle include a closely watched Texas Senate race. Rep. Jared Moskowitz also joined in with sarcasm. He posted, “I don’t see the issue,” and included a clearly edited photo of himself towering over Rep. Byron Donalds.
There was early confusion about Ronson’s role, with Ron Filipkowski of MeidasTouch alleging that she was a Rogers campaign staffer. Rogers aide Alyssa Brouillet clarified the situation to the press. “lol not a campaign staffer,” Brouillet said. She added, “Mike doesn’t need AI to frame-mog his opponents.”
Menswear writer Derek Guy critiqued the fashion in the AI rendering, noting that the “shirt is too baggy.” The incident follows broader trends involving AI imagery within the MAGA movement under President Donald Trump, who has often shared AI-generated images portraying him in unrealistic ways, reports Mediaite.
This past weekend, the President posted 52 times on Truth Social, sharing AI-generated content. These included images of the President on horseback alongside George Washington at a NASCAR race, and another showing him as a military commander in battle armor, surrounded by fighter jets and naval vessels.
He included the caption, “You’re getting discombobulated.” Senate campaigns elsewhere have faced their own controversies, such as Bernie Sanders backing Graham Platner amid reports about him. In April, the President drew attention for sharing an AI image depicting him as Jesus Christ. When asked about it later, he defended the post by claiming he thought the figure in the image was a “doctor.”
Published: Jun 3, 2026 10:15 am