The Los Angeles Times is reporting that its columnist Anita Chabria has examined three political advertisements offering insights into California's contentious primary election, which is just days away. The ads highlight deeper issues in the races for California governor and Los Angeles mayor.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a gubernatorial candidate, released an ad targeting rival Xavier Becerra. The Times said the ad used a clip of Becerra chastising an interviewer for asking hard questions, combining it with footage of Katie Porter walking out of a different interview. The Times said this made both Becerra and Porter appear "prickly and unaccountable." New polls show Becerra with a slim lead or tied with Tom Steyer. The Times noted that Becerra faces questions about a campaign finance scheme where a lobbyist allegedly stole over $200,000 from an old campaign account. Becerra is not accused of wrongdoing but testified before a grand jury and was aware of $10,000 monthly payments from a dormant account. The Times suggested this "lack of financial acumen" could be an issue if Becerra faces businessmen like Hilton or Steyer in the general election.
The Times also highlighted reports from The Sacramento Bee that billionaire gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer's campaign paid influencers to post online support. These posts were designed to appear as organic support. The Times noted that other campaigns, including those for Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and Turning Point USA, have also used influencers. California has a law attempting to regulate such content, but it is not strong. The Times expressed concern about the lack of transparency and regulation in this area of political communication, linking it to broader issues of misinformation and democratic health.
Finally, the Times reported on AI-generated mini-movies promoted by Spencer Pratt, a candidate for Los Angeles mayor. These ads, which use "Batman" and "Star Wars" intellectual property, have gone viral but are not identified as AI-generated. Pratt has criticized L.A. Mayor Karen Bass over fire responses, claiming his family lives in an Airstream, though TMZ reported he was staying at the Hotel Bel-Air, a claim Pratt disputes. One AI video promoted by Pratt depicts a crowd pelting Mayor Bass, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Kamala Harris with fruit. The Times disagreed with Jeb Bush's assessment that it was "maybe the best political ad of the year," raising concerns about the links between hate speech and political violence, and the impact of AI on voters and democracy.