Key facts
- Democrats in tight US midterm races are split on how to address transgender rights.
- Some candidates are adopting more conservative stances, while others are trying to change the subject to the economy.
- Republican attacks on transgender rights were effective in past elections, including Donald Trump's wins.
- In Iowa, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand stated he agrees with barring transgender women and girls from female sports teams.
- Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur in Ohio released an ad saying she voted to keep transgender ideology out of schools.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 67% of respondents supported banning transgender people from competing in female school sports, with 92% of Republicans and 44% of Democrats agreeing.
Democrats in competitive US midterm races are adopting varied strategies on transgender rights, with some moving closer to Republican positions and others attempting to shift focus to economic issues, according to a Reuters review of campaign messaging and interviews.
Ahead of the November 3 election, vulnerable Republican candidates are renewing attacks over transgender rights, a message that political strategists say helped Donald Trump and his party win unified control of Washington in 2024. In response, some Democratic candidates have moved closer to Republican positions on transgender participation in women's sports and gender-affirming care for minors, while others are seeking to redirect the conversation back to the flagging economy and Trump’s unpopular war with Iran.
The differing strategies are evident in Iowa and Ohio, states that have trended Republican but now feature competitive races. Critics warn that shifting towards Republican stances on transgender issues may alienate LGBTQ voters and progressive wings of the party without winning new support.
In Iowa, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand has stated he agrees with barring transgender women and girls from female sports teams. Congressional candidate Sarah Trone Garriott released an ad stating, “I oppose letting men in women's locker rooms and voted to let parents, not politicians, make decisions for their kids.” LGBTQ advocates have criticized such language.
In Ohio, Republican Derek Merrin released an ad accusing Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur of voting to let biological men compete against girls in sports. Kaptur countered with an ad stating she voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of schools because parents know what's best for their kids. This ad was criticized by local LGBTQ organizations.
Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, running in Ohio, has opted not to engage with attacks, framing them as distractions from more pressing issues. A Democratic Party election report concluded that ads attacking former Vice President Kamala Harris on transgender issues were effective in boxing her in during the 2024 presidential contest.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll in April found that 67% of respondents supported banning transgender people from competing in female school sports, with significant partisan divides.