Key facts
- Rep. Marcy Kaptur released an ad opposing transgender ideology in schools and transgender girls in sports.
- Kaptur faces a tough re-election bid in a district that has become more Republican-leaning.
- The ad has drawn criticism from county Democratic parties and LGBTQ+ rights groups.
- Kaptur stated her stance was necessary to inform voters and counter her opponent's expected attacks.
- Other Democrats, including Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, have also opposed transgender participation in school sports.
- Kaptur has served in Congress since 1982 and is the longest-serving woman in its history.
Representative Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history, is facing internal party criticism and backlash from LGBTQ+ rights groups for a recent advertisement that opposed transgender participation in girls' sports and used the term "transgender ideology." The ad, released last month, comes as Kaptur, who has served since 1982, prepares for what is expected to be a difficult re-election campaign in Ohio's 9th Congressional District.
Kaptur's district has become more Republican-leaning following redistricting after the 2020 census, shifting approximately four percentage points to the right. She narrowly won her previous term against Republican challenger Derek Merrin, who is set for a rematch in the November 3 midterm election. Forecasters believe the race could be competitive, despite national headwinds for Republican candidates.
In an interview, Kaptur stated that it was important for voters to understand her position on transgender rights, drawing a parallel to how the issue was used against Kamala Harris in the 2020 presidential election. She also anticipated that Merrin's campaign would leverage the issue against her.
Kaptur is not the only Democrat taking a stance at odds with the party's mainstream on transgender rights for youth athletes. Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Iowa's Democratic nominee for governor Rob Sand also oppose such participation. Additionally, Democratic Senate candidate Annie Andrews in South Carolina released a similar ad, and eight House Democrats, including Kaptur, voted in favor of a bill requiring parental consent for schools to recognize students as transgender.
Kaptur, 80, has a history of independent action during her 43 years in Congress, including opposing NAFTA and the 2008 bank bailouts. She continues to reside in her hometown of Toledo and has expressed no plans to retire, citing her position as the top Democrat on a House subcommittee as a means to help her constituents.
Despite her long tenure, Kaptur remains a prominent local figure in Toledo. Tony Totty, president of the United Auto Workers’s political arm in the region, noted Kaptur's consistent presence in her district, contrasting it with politicians who become drawn to Washington D.C.
Kaptur's re-election campaign in 2022 featured an ad highlighting her fight against Chinese competition for Ohio solar manufacturers. She won that election, breaking the record for length of service by a female lawmaker.
In August, Kaptur and her campaign manager were injured in a hit-and-run incident. The transgender rights ad debuted the following month, leading to criticism from the Democratic parties in Lucas and Wood counties, which denounced the ad's "harmful," "dangerous," and "hurtful" rhetoric.
Sam Nelson, a political science professor at the University of Toledo, suggested Kaptur's path to victory involves mobilizing her Toledo base while mitigating losses in rural areas, potentially by highlighting issues like data centers. He noted the ad's dual effect: negating Republican attacks while potentially alienating LGBTQ+ supporters and allies.
Andrew Reising, a Toledo resident whose son is transgender, expressed disappointment with Kaptur's ad, stating he would still vote for her but was discussing finding a primary challenger for her in two years.