Russian operative likely behind fake videos targeting Texas Senate candidate James Talarico

Three separate teams of disinformation researchers have concluded that operatives working for Russia are probably running a campaign of fabricated videos in Texas, where James Talarico is a Senate candidate. NBC News calls it the most prominent case so far of a foreign effort to deceive American voters ahead of the midterm elections. The Texas contest is where the researchers see the clearest sign of outside interference this cycle.

According to NBC News correspondent Ryan Reilly, the doctored footage does not single out one party. It targets both Democratic and Republican candidates, and what those candidates have in common is a record of supporting Ukraine. That shared position, rather than party affiliation, is the thread connecting the people who appear in the clips.

NBC News aired the segment on Oct. 22, 2026. The attribution is framed in terms of likelihood: the researchers say Russian involvement is the most probable explanation for the videos, rather than a proven fact. Reilly's coverage centers on how the clips are being aimed at candidates from each party in the midterm campaign, with Talarico's Senate race in Texas as the leading example.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News →