China going after down-ballot races: report reveals which lawmakers are in their crosshairs

U.S. adversaries are ramping up their election-interference efforts, and China is going aft anti-CCP down-ballot Republicans, according to a caller study by Microsoft. 

Russia, meanwhile, is continuing to smear Vice President Kamala Harris and her run pinch clone videos, and Iranian actors person been eyeing up election-related websites and mainstream media outlets.

Some of nan misinformation campaigns prime up small traction, while others are amplified by thousands of unwitting Americans. 

"With a peculiar attraction connected nan 48 hours earlier and aft Election Day, voters, authorities institutions, candidates, and parties must stay vigilant against deceptive and suspicious activity online," Microsoft said successful its predetermination report. 

Iran, past week, built a clone online persona known arsenic "Bushnell's Men" calling connected American voters to beryllium retired nan predetermination owed to some candidates' support of Israel's subject operations, nan study found. 

Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn is moving for re-election pinch a safe double-digit lead complete her Democratic opponent. And yet China has deployed power actors to spell aft her online owed to her efforts to prohibition TikTok and combat nan CCP. 

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China has targeted Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn successful her re-election race. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

In summation to Blackburn, China has taken a peculiar liking successful 3 Republicans: Reps. Michael McCaul, Texas, Barry Moore, Ala., and Marco Rubio, Fla. 

"This is thing new. I've been informed earlier astir China trying to transportation retired a malign power run against me," Blackburn told Fox News Digital. 

"China gets upset pinch maine because I judge that you've sewage China trying to spy connected our citizens," she went on. "You person them pushing threat and harm toward our children. They do not support their waste and acquisition agreements erstwhile it comes to cultivation products and manufactured goods. And I speak retired astir this. I felt for illustration nan Biden management has treated China for illustration they're a friend aliases a business partner." 

The study recovered that successful precocious September, Chinese character Taizi Flood launched an online run criticizing Blackburn and promoting her opponent, authorities Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Tenn. 

One Flood station claimed that Blackburn "took $700,000 from opioid companies," referring to her run donations from pharmaceutical companies. 

In summation to Blackburn, China, led by Xi Jinping, above, has taken a peculiar liking successful 3 Republicans: Reps. Michael McCaul, Texas, Barry Moore, Ala., and Marco Rubio, Fla. (Photo by Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty Images.)

The CCP is besides going aft McCaul by accusing him of "abusing powerfulness for individual gain." CCP-linked online posts accused McCaul of insider trading and pushing arguable bills. McCaul was sanctioned by China successful 2023 aft a sojourn to Taiwan. 

Flood-linked accounts besides went aft Moore, criticizing him for his support for Israel, pinch antisemitic language, according to nan report. 

Unlike nan Blackburn posts, Flood’s attacks connected Moore picked up steam online and were further amplified by different Flood assets. 

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Flood accounts attacked Rubio, who is not up for re-election, by accusing him of corruption. Microsoft has tracked power operations surrounding Rubio since 2022.

Russia, China and Iran person each denied claims that they meddle successful U.S. governmental affairs.

Iran, past week, built a clone online persona known arsenic "Bushnell's Men" calling connected American voters to beryllium retired nan predetermination owed to some candidates' support of Israel's subject operations, nan study found. (Photo by Iranian Leader Press Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Blackburn, who has been pushing for transition of her kids' online information measure and has agelong called for nan banning of TikTok, called nan celebrated video-sharing level a "spy mechanism." 

"What they're doing is building a database for each 1 of our children who are connected — and adults, excessively — that platform, and they are utilizing this to beryllium capable to way you, to show you, to power what you see, what you say, what you hear, what you deliberation and yet really you vote." 

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If Republicans return powerfulness successful nan November elections, Blackburn said she would push for them to prohibition each Confucius Institutes, aliases higher acquisition centers tally by CCP-affiliated scholars, clasp China "accountable for their domiciled successful pushing fentanyl connected our people" and admit Taiwan's independency from China. 

The U.S. does not formally support aliases admit Taiwan's independence, though it arms nan mini land populist against an encroaching Chinese subject presence.