<\/p>\n
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used three of Texas college football\u2019s best-known traditions to mock Democratic candidates in what appears to be an AI-generated campaign ad ahead of November\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n
Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used three of Texas college football\u2019s best-known traditions to mock Democratic candidates in what appears to be an AI-generated campaign ad ahead of November\u2019s elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The universities restrict how outsiders can use their brands, including in political campaigns and advertising. Patrick\u2019s<\/a> ad tests whether they will enforce those rules.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Officials at the University of Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M did not answer the Texas Tribune\u2019s repeated questions about whether Patrick had permission to use the schools\u2019 names and symbols, whether university employees or resources helped create the ad or whether they would ask his campaign to take it down. State law bars public universities from using resources to support a candidate and university officials from using their authority to influence an election.\u00a0<\/p>\n Patrick, a Republican, is one of the state\u2019s most powerful elected officials. He presides over the Senate, giving him significant influence over how much state money public universities receive. He has repeatedly threatened their funding while pushing them to abandon policies he has labeled \u201cwoke.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be surprised if they ask him to take it down because they have a lot to lose politically and financially,\u201d said Andrew Cates, a Texas campaign and election law attorney.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Officials from Patrick\u2019s campaign did not respond to questions about whether they sought the universities\u2019 permission to use their names and trademarks.\u00a0<\/p>\n State Rep. Terry Canales<\/a>, D-Edinburg, asked the three university presidents whether they authorized the use of their schools\u2019 branding and what they would do if they hadn\u2019t, said his chief of staff, Alma Uribe.\u00a0<\/p>\n Uribe said Canales wants school officials to seek the ad\u2019s removal if they did not authorize it. Someone at Texas A&M promptly replied that officials would look into it, but UT and Texas Tech had not responded as of Friday afternoon, she said.<\/p>\n Patrick posted the ad<\/a> to X on Sept. 5 with the caption: \u201cCollege football is back. Before the first whistle, take a look at the failed playbook Goodwin and her socialist squad have for Texas.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The 50-second ad depicts Vikki Goodwin, Patrick\u2019s Democratic challenger for lieutenant governor, writing down ideas for new taxes on brisket and Longhorn merchandise at a simulated UT football game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, demands to see gun permits from Texas Tech\u2019s Masked Rider and fans flashing the \u201cGuns Up\u201d hand sign. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, sits among standing fans at an Aggies\u2019 football game and calls the 12th Man tradition \u201cso gendered.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The ad identifies Patrick\u2019s campaign as its sponsor but does not note if it was AI-generated. The post had received more than 907,000 views as of Friday.<\/p>\n In a Sept. 8 Facebook video<\/a>, Goodwin accused Patrick of using AI to put words in her mouth because he could not beat her on the facts.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The universities\u2019 rules vary, but Texas A&M and Texas Tech specifically address political uses.<\/p>\n Texas A&M prohibits using<\/a> its symbols, uniforms, landmarks and athletics to promote or support political candidates. Its registered trademark includes the phrase \u201c12th Man<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn order to maintain its integrity as a public institution, it is critical that Texas A&M<\/p>\n maintain neutrality in regard to any partisan political activity,\u201d according to the school\u2019s policy.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n People and groups must get written permission before using Texas Tech\u2019s trademarks<\/a> in connection with a political candidate or policy issue. Its registered trademarks include the phrase \u201cGuns Up,\u201d the Double T logo and several Masked Rider designs.\u00a0<\/p>\n UT doesn\u2019t allow<\/a> unlicensed advertisers to use university trademarks such as the Longhorn silhouette or Hook \u2018em hand sign.<\/p>\n Texas A&M and UT officials recently took legal action against others accused of improperly using university trademarks.\u00a0<\/p>\n In May, Texas A&M System officials sent a cease-and-desist letter<\/a> to a North Texas Muslim education organization calling itself \u201cTexAM University,\u201d demanding that it stop using names and branding officials said infringed on or diluted A&M\u2019s trademarks. Chancellor Glenn Hegar said at the time that they had a \u201cresponsibility to protect the name and trademarks\u201d and prevent public confusion.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n UT officials went further in July, suing a Corpus Christi meat market and its owner over their use of the Longhorn silhouette. They alleged the business continued using the logo and an orange color scheme even after officials sent a demand letter and tried repeatedly to resolve the dispute.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the lawsuit, officials allege the unauthorized use of the logo could confuse customers and allow the business to \u201ctrade on and receive the benefit of goodwill built up at great labor and expense by the University.\u201d They argue that such use leaves the university with less control over its reputation and brand.<\/p>\n The schools\u2019 appearance in the ad alone does not establish a violation of state restrictions on political activity, Cates said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those restrictions<\/a> concern universities\u2019 own involvement in a campaign, not simply a campaign\u2019s use of school imagery, he said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Patrick has deployed numerous ads using AI since June, often targeting the top of the Democratic ticket: Talarico. He named Goodwin<\/a> in an ad for the first time in August, but it appeared to show archival footage of her.<\/p>\n In a 2025 interview with the Tribune<\/a>, Patrick, a former radio host, explained his communication style, defending videos he had made confronting lottery and cannabis retailers as more than \u201ctheatrics for theatrics\u2019 sake.\u201d Most people are busy with work and family, he said, \u201cOur job is to break through that.\u201d<\/p>\n Texas has a law targeting deepfake campaign videos<\/a>, but it applies only when a video is distributed within 30 days of an election.\u00a0<\/p>\n Patrick posted the ad months before the November election, putting it outside that 30-day window.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The law defines a deepfake as a video created with the intent to deceive that appears to show a real person doing something that did not happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cates said the requirement to prove an intent to deceive makes the law difficult to enforce.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said Patrick\u2019s ad is unlikely to deceive viewers, but lawmakers should not wait for more deceptive ads before updating the law.<\/p>\n Lawmakers tried to close those gaps last year, but two proposals to do so died.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The House passed a bill by former House Speaker Dade Phelan<\/a> that would have required disclosures when political ads showed candidates saying or doing things that did not happen. Cates said he was contracted to help Phelan\u2019s office with the bill\u2019s wording and legal details. The bill drew free speech objections from some Republicans who argued it could criminalize political memes.<\/p>\n The Senate passed a separate bill<\/a> that would have eliminated the current law\u2019s 30-day limit and expanded it to fabricated audio and altered images, while keeping the requirement to prove an intent to deceive. Neither proposal made it through the other chamber.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cates said lawmakers should try again when they return to Austin next year for the legislative session. At a minimum, he wants them to require disclosures when campaigns use AI. He also favors removing the law\u2019s intent requirements and extending or eliminating its 30-day window.<\/p>\n \u201cThese campaigns don\u2019t only exist for one month before the election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Staff writer Alejandro Serrano contributed to this report.<\/p>\n The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.<\/p>\n This article<\/a> first appeared on The Texas Tribune<\/a>. Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789405935_825_cropped-cropped-texas-tribune-favicon.png\")
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