California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) effort to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign videos has been halted after a federal judge issued an injunction against the controversial law. The law, which sought to ban AI-generated political content during elections, was quickly challenged by Chris Kohls, known as “Mr. Reagan” on social media, who claimed it violated his First Amendment rights. Kohls, who had posted a parody video of Kamala Harris, sued the state to prevent the enforcement of the law.

On Wednesday, Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez agreed with Kohls, stating that the law’s restrictions on parody and satire went too far. “Most of [the law] acts as a hammer instead of a scalpel,” Mendez wrote, criticizing the legislation for its broad reach. The judge ruled that the law unjustly “stifles the free and unfettered exchange of ideas” but allowed a small portion to remain—requiring verbal disclosure of altered content in audio-only recordings.

Newsom’s law had drawn heavy criticism for being an overreach, with opponents arguing it targeted political humor and satire under the guise of regulating “deepfake” technology. Kohls’ case is expected to set a precedent in balancing free speech with emerging AI technologies.

Judge Mendez’s decision puts a temporary stop to the law’s enforcement, with further legal battles expected. As the debate over AI, elections, and free speech continues, conservatives see this as a clear victory for the First Amendment and a blow to Newsom’s increasingly aggressive policies.