WASHINGTON — Democratic candidates in competitive House races are running advertisements that portray them as advocates for fairness in girls' sports, despite their voting records indicating support for transgender rights or a lack of public stance on the issue.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), who is polling closely with her GOP opponent Derek Merrin, stated in a recent advertisement: "I voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of our schools because parents know what’s best for their kids. And boys should not play in girls’ sports." However, Kaptur's voting record shows that she opposed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act last year, which prohibits biological males from competing in female sports, alongside 205 other members of her caucus.
Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), also facing a challenging re-election campaign, voted "present" on the same legislation but claims in his campaign ad that "there should always be a safe and fair space for women and girls in sports." He added, "Fair competition was at the heart of those games, but let’s be honest, there’s real concerns about fairness and safety. That’s why I believe states should decide what’s right for protecting women and girls, and North Carolina has decided." In 2023, Davis did not attend a House vote on the same bill, while Kaptur opposed it.
Both Kaptur and Davis are co-sponsors of the Equality Act, which critics argue would eliminate sex-based distinctions in sports.
Other Democratic candidates making their first runs for Congress have also claimed support for fairness in girls’ sports, but their voting records in state legislatures contradict these claims.
Sarah Trone Garriott, an Iowa state senator running for the US House against incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, stated in an advertisement: "I oppose letting men in women’s locker rooms and voted to let parents, not politicians, make decisions for their kids." However, Trone Garriott voted against a bill that banned biological men from entering women’s locker rooms, which was signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2023. She also opposed a 2022 bill, which Reynolds signed, that prohibited transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.
Democratic House candidate Lindsay James, who is seeking election to GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson’s vacant seat, also opposed both measures when they were presented in the Iowa House.
According to a new analysis from the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans expressed concern about transgender athletes competing on sports teams that do not match their sex at birth, while only 13% said they would be comfortable with this trend. Even among Democrats, 55% indicated they would not be comfortable with transgender competitors participating on teams that do not align with their birth sex, although 44% reported they would be somewhat, extremely, or very comfortable with it.
Democrats currently lead by more than eight percentage points on the generic congressional ballot, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling average, positioning them as favorites to regain control of the House in the upcoming midterm elections on November 3.
Representatives for the Kaptur, Davis, Trone Garriott, and James campaigns did not respond to requests for comment.