India-Based Bot Campaign Influenced Michigan Senate Primary

A coordinated bot campaign based in India distributed dozens of videos to influence the August Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. The videos, which expressed support for Representative Haley Stevens, garnered millions of views across X, Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. Research from Antibot4navalny and the Clemson University Media Forensics Hub found that posters, including an operator in Mumbai, were paid between $1 and $5 per thousand views to make the content appear organic.

Rhys McKay, operator of the firm Lumina Clippers, admitted to hiring the bot network but declined to name the client due to confidentiality. The campaign appeared designed to help Stevens defeat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who ultimately won the primary. The Stevens campaign denied any involvement in the operation.

Investigators noted that the campaign utilized tactics similar to those employed by Russian and Chinese influence networks. This approach marks a shift toward inauthentic, influencer-style content intended to bypass traditional political advertising regulations.