Maryland Democrats blast political group’s AI videos of Wes Moore as racist

“These racist AI videos highlight what people hate most about politics–anonymous dark money that attempts to influence people by deceiving them,” Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Karen Darkes told theGrio.

A political campaign dedicated to attacking Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is being called out for AI videos it posted that Maryland Democrats say are racist and harken back to America’s dark history.

The “No Moore” campaign, launched as an anonymous website and social media platform earlier this year, seeks to call out the leadership of Moore, who became Maryland’s first Black governor in 2022 and announced he is running for re-election in 2026.

“Wes Moore torched a $5.5 billion surplus, rammed through the largest tax hike in Maryland history, and left families paying the price. He’s more focused on chasing his next job than fixing the one he has,” says the political group, which announced earlier this month that it is officially filed as a political action committee, or PAC, with the Federal Election Commission.

While attacks are par for the course in electoral politics, Democrats have raised an alarm about some of the tactics used against Moore. A review of No Moore’s Facebook and X accounts shows AI videos depicting Moore as a clown and other images of him that overly emphasize his smile.

“Power issues? I’ve got this,” says an AI-generated video of Moore, depicting him as a clown as he laughs and holds a handheld windmill.

“What a clown,” reads one post, accompanied by another AI video of Moore saying, “The gaslight tour continues. All you have to do is just lie.”

Don't worry, Wes is on it. pic.twitter.com/xKeeXWwTUL— No Moore (@NoMooreMD) August 11, 2025

One video depicts the AI-generated Clown Moore laughing incessantly after saying, “What’s in your wallet? NOTHING after I’m done.”

In one post, an AI-generated image of Moore depicted the Maryland governor as an animal, more specifically, the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz.”

Critics of the imagery say they are eerily reminiscent of how Black Americans were depicted in minstrel shows during the 1830s to early 1900s, particularly the character of Jim Crow.

“These racist AI videos highlight what people hate most about politics–anonymous dark money that attempts to influence people by deceiving them,” Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Karen Darkes told theGrio.

“For months, they’ve bent the rules to spread lies about a governor who has created over 100,000 jobs, helped bring down violent crime to historically low levels, and turned the structural deficit he inherited from Larry Hogan into a surplus.”

It is unclear who is behind the “No Moore” campaign; however, now that it is registered with the FEC, more details could soon emerge. Maryland Democrats, who declined to go on record, told theGrio that they believed it could be connected to former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who is believed to soon announce his run for re-election against Moore. Last year, Hogan lost a bid for the U.S. Senate against Angela Alsobrooks, who became the state’s first Black woman elected to the Senate.

Mileah Kromer, who wrote a book on Hogan’s electoral success as a Republican in a blue state like Maryland, told the Baltimore Sun in February that the messaging in the “No Moore” campaign was a “natural comparison” to Hogan’s Change Maryland organization that he launched in 2011. The campaign against then-Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley was used as a launching pad for his political rise.

“Whether or not it’s from Larry Hogan and his team, it is completely inappropriate,” said Maryland Delegate Jeffrie E. Long, Jr., who told theGrio that the “No Moore” campaign “screams of desperation.”

Long said whoever is behind the “No Moore” campaign should “spend more time addressing the bread and butter issues of Marylanders, rather than stooping to racist tropes directed toward the state’s first Black governor.”

“Fake images and misleading messages have always been a problem in politics. Now, AI has the potential to severely exacerbate the issue,” said Long, who vowed to work with fellow Democrats to address the issue of AI use in political campaigning in the upcoming legislative session.

“Voters deserve truth and transparency and not to be deceived. Regardless of how they were made, these images are unacceptable and Larry Hogan and all of his allies should condemn them quickly,” said Long.

Political analyst Reecie Colbert, who is a Maryland resident, told theGrio that Republicans similarly generated political attacks on former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris regarding her laugh.

“They try to turn a strength into a weakness, which is the fact that Governor Moore is charming, he’s relatable, and people want to have a beer with him,” said Colbert. “They’re trying to suggest that he’s not serious or that he is unintelligent, when we know that this man has credentials that are unrivaled.”

She continued, “What they try to do with Black politicians is try to make them seem like they’re untrustworthy, like they’re corrupt, like they’re two-faced.”

Moore, whose national profile continues to rise amid clashes with President Donald Trump and rumors about a run for president in 2028 (which he has repeatedly denied), is fairly popular in Maryland. According to an August poll published by The Baltimore Banner, 50% of Maryland voters say they approve of his job as governor.

Colbert said the attacks from “No Moore” actually shows the “strength” of Governor Moore.

“They’re not making a substantive argument against him. They don’t have any receipts. I mean, he was able to oversee record recovery in terms of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and all that he’s doing in the state of Maryland,” she said.

Delegate Long said, “It’s clear they’re concerned because Wes Moore has been getting the job done cleaning up after Larry Hogan’s mess. And people in Maryland appreciate the job he’s doing.”

The Democrat added, “Governor Moore has been an incredible ally in our shared mission of moving Maryland forward.”