‘Jacksandrei Blakenekov’: Pro-Hurricanes post by US Senate candidate skewered by NC fans over AI use :: WRAL.com
Publish Date: 2026-06-03 18:21:00
Source Domain: www.wral.com
- Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley is facing criticism for a social media post cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes, with some accusing him of being a fair-weather fan and employing artificial intelligence to create a non-existent player image.
- The controversial post, accompanying the message “Let’s go, Canes!”, generated significant backlash from fans and social media users, who questioned the authenticity of the image and its design inconsistencies.
- Whatley acknowledged the use of AI for the graphic but dismissed its importance. He expressed support for the Hurricanes, suggesting they could positively impact the state if they won.
- Critics and political science professor David McLennan argue that the post has drawn attention to Whatley’s campaign and raised questions about his credibility.
- Whatley is trailing Democrat Roy Cooper in polls for the U.S. Senate seat, and the incident along with previous controversies like the “barbecue scandal” have become part of the larger scrutiny of his campaign.
- Cooper, who is also a sports enthusiast and frequent Hurricanes fan, highlighted the irony of Whatley’s situation in a campaign statement.
- David McLennan suggested a more straightforward support message would have been less contentious, minimizing future scrutiny over similar posts.
