SOUTHERN INDIANA — Republican State Sen. Chris Garten has responded to the criticism sparked by his AI-generated social media post depicting him attacking Santa Claus.
Garten, a Charlestown lawmaker who serves as the majority floor leader for the Indiana Senate, shared a post on X on Christmas with several AI images of himself kicking and punching Santa in front of the Indiana Statehouse.
He included a political message with the set of images.
“When you find out the North Pole is trying to bring more bureaucratic overreach & unfunded mandates down the chimney disguised as ‘Christmas cheer,’” Garten said in the social media post. “Not on my watch. We The People run Indiana, not the bureaucrats. Take it back to the North Pole big guy. Merry Christmas, Hoosiers!”
Garten’s posts have led to national backlash with social media responses and media coverage of his Christmas message.
In a statement shared on Monday with the News and Tribune, Garten criticized the response to his social media post.
“With everything going on in the world, I struggle to understand why my evidently humorous post is considered news,” Garten said. “The fake outrage online is a stark reminder of how overly sensitive society has become, and maybe some self-reflection is in order.“
Nick Marshall, the Democratic candidate running for Garten’s District 45 seat, is among those who criticized the social media post, saying that “we need to take the temperature down a little bit, and this post does not help.”
He said the focus should be “making sure that there is relief for the everyday Hoosier,” particularly those struggling during the holidays.
“What we need right at this time is someone who’s going to steady the ship and not do posts like this — and show true leadership because people are hurting at this time,” Marshall said. “But this is not good leadership, and we’re probably going to see more like this in the future from him.”
Garten also responded on X to the backlash, referring to critics of the social media post as “snowflakes.”
“Lots of intolerance, swearing, and outrage on display over a few AI pics I had a blast designing with my kids,” he said on X. “Some of you clowns are just insufferable. Hopefully your negativity stays in the comments and not directed at your families. Merry Christmas, snowflakes!”
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