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Intelligence officials say US adversaries are targeting congressional races with disinformation

Top U.S. intelligence officials say Russia and China are seeking to meddle with specific U.S. House and Senate races this election year.

While much of the attention has focused on attempts by foreign adversaries to influence the presidential race, Monday’s warning underscores the threat that online disinformation also poses in state and local contests. Foreign adversaries create networks of fake websites and social media accounts mimicking Americans, and then work to amplify divisive and incendiary claims about contentious debates like immigration, the economy or the federal government’s response to disasters. In the presidential race, intelligence officials have concluded that Russia supports Trump, who has criticized Ukraine and the NATO alliance while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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