Jessica Bichler discusses Senate District 7 victory, controversial AI ad and priorities for office

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Democratic state Sen.-elect Jessica Bichler is celebrating her victory over longtime Republican incumbent Michael Lee in North Carolina’s Senate District 7 race, following a heated campaign that gained national attention over a controversial artificial intelligence-generated attack ad.

Bichler, a yoga instructor, defeated Lee by more than 4,800 votes Tuesday, denying him a sixth term after roughly a decade in the state Senate.

“I’ve gotten calls from people all across the state and locally that have congratulated us, it’s been great and definitely a whirlwind,” Bichler said.

Bichler believes her victory reflects growing dissatisfaction with Lee’s leadership and a desire for change among voters.

“His approval rating isn’t really that high and that shows that voters were sometimes settling for good enough,” Bichler said.

She also criticized what she described as Lee’s focus on policies benefiting businesses outside the region.

“Over the years it does seem his priorities have been focused on things that ultimately helped outside businesses and is generating wealth that doesn’t stay here,” Bichler said.

Bichler said Democratic victories locally and nationally Tuesday night reflect broader frustration among voters.

“I think it’s a clear response to what we have been seeing on a national level because we have really bucked all systems of decorum, and procedure and even rule of law and people are fed up with it,” she said.

One of the most talked-about moments of the campaign came when Lee’s campaign released an AI-generated attack ad depicting Bichler, drawing widespread attention and criticism.

Nadine Gibson, a public affairs professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, said the ad may have backfired by turning some voters away from Lee.

“Campaigns need to be more careful about how ads are perceived by the public,” Gibson said.

However, she noted that the controversy also brought significant attention to the race.

“Though on one hand it did get a lot of earned media and attention and more people saw it than probably would have if there was no virality to it,” Gibson said.

Bichler believes the attention ultimately benefited her campaign by introducing her to voters who might not otherwise have heard about her candidacy.

“I really do think the AI ad helped bring more attention to our race for sure and it got my name and face out there on a level that I would not have been able to do on my own,” Bichler said.

As she prepares to take office, Bichler said her priorities include increasing funding for North Carolina’s public schools, expanding access to affordable health care and strengthening environmental protections.

One of her key concerns is addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water across the Cape Fear region.

“We have had ten years to hold polluters accountable and to put stronger regulations on the books and I know that even our Cape Fear Public Utility Authority would appreciate stronger regulations, I know the House had some good legislation that just stalled in the Senate so I think the first step is to make sure that moves forward,” Bichler said.

Bichler also plans to focus on affordable housing throughout the Cape Fear region, particularly the rising costs of homeowners insurance and utilities.