Chinese Influence Operation Targets U.S. Republican Lawmakers

Microsoft reports a coordinated effort by Chinese-linked bots to sway voters in Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee against anti-China Republicans.

The influence campaign, identified by Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center, used social media bots to target Republican politicians critical of China.
Lawmakers Barry Moore, Michael McCaul, and Marsha Blackburn, who are up for reelection, were denigrated by the bots, along with Marco Rubio.
The operation, attributed to the group Taizi Flood, involved spreading antisemitic messages and accusations of corruption to promote opposition candidates.
Despite the effort, Microsoft found that the bots did not achieve high engagement levels with American social media users.
China's embassy in Washington denies any interference, dismissing the claims as malicious speculation.