The political campaign of Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, former congresswoman and current Senate candidate from the state of Florida – in defiance of Republican Senator Rick Scott – included an innovative focus on the use of WhatsApp to directly target Latino voters, an attempt to combat misinformation that circulates widely among these communities. That approach is part of a broader strategy to diminish the Republican advantage in the state, which has become increasingly influential, especially as support for Donald Trump has risen.

The WhatsApp operation has two channels, one in English and one in Spanish, to facilitate access to information and combat fake news that circulates quickly on the platform. Mucarsel-Powell argues that by creating her own channels, her team is able to provide accurate and easily shareable information, taking advantage of WhatsApp's popularity among Latinos — 46% of American Hispanics use the app, according to a survey by Pew Research.

The campaign is part of an ongoing effort by Democrats to win back voters, especially among Latinos, who have been targeted by misinformation in previous elections, as noted by Mucarsel-Powell and other members of Congress. The BOLD PAC, the campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, identified the Florida Senate race as an important opportunity to combat misinformation.

The Mucarsel-Powell campaign, however, faces major challenges. Rick Scott, the current senator, is seeking reelection and has the consolidated support of Republicans in the state, in addition to the strong appeal of Donald Trump. However, Democrats believe that national issues, such as abortion rights, and Kamala Harris' campaign can motivate their voters, especially in Latino communities, to reverse this tide, according to the NPR publication.