Republicans Ramp Up Focus on Transgender Issues as Election Approaches
With just four weeks remaining until the pivotal election, Donald J. Trump and Republican candidates across the nation are making transgender issues a central theme in their campaigns. This strategy aims to tap into public fears surrounding transgender women and girls participating in sports, as well as the use of taxpayer funds for gender transitions in prisons.
Since early August, Republicans have invested over $65 million in television advertisements across more than a dozen states, targeting these contentious topics in some of the most competitive races in the country. A recent analysis by The New York Times, utilizing data from AdImpact, reveals that this surge in advertising is designed to inflame cultural divisions and position Democrats as out of touch with mainstream values. Republican strategists believe they have found a potent new angle for their messaging, alongside traditional focuses on inflation and immigration.
This renewed emphasis on transgender issues mirrors a strategy attempted, albeit with limited success, during the 2022 midterms. As the GOP seeks to energize its base and mitigate losses among female voters who may be alienated by the party’s stance on abortion, the focus on transgender topics has emerged as a rallying cry.
One of Trump’s most frequently aired ads in recent weeks features Vice President Kamala Harris, concluding with the tagline: “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.” This messaging is particularly evident in states like Ohio, where every advertisement from the leading Republican super PAC targeting Senator Sherrod Brown has addressed transgender issues, accusing him of allowing "transgender biological males in girls’ sports." Brown, a vulnerable Democratic incumbent, is now facing an onslaught of attacks that his campaign estimates to be around $37 million.
In Montana, similar tactics are being employed against Senator Jon Tester, who is also up for re-election. Ads have focused on the perceived dangers of transgender women in sports and bathrooms, framing Tester as too liberal for the predominantly Republican state. Republican ad maker Brad Todd noted, “It’s one of the issues where Democrats are furthest from the center of the country,” suggesting that the party’s progressive stance on these matters is a liability.
While Republicans acknowledge that the instances of transgender athletes competing in youth sports are relatively few, they argue that highlighting Democrats’ alignment with progressive views on these issues effectively portrays them as extreme. This tactic has proven effective in reaching suburban women, a demographic that has increasingly distanced itself from the GOP in recent years.
Democratic candidates, on the other hand, have largely opted to sidestep these attacks, focusing instead on more favorable topics like abortion. However, behind closed doors, some Democratic strategists admit that the relentless focus on transgender issues is taking a toll in certain races.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, criticized the Republican strategy, asserting that it reflects desperation rather than a genuine concern for voters. “Instead of articulating how they’re going to make the economy better or our schools safer, they’re focused on sowing fear and chaos,” she stated.
Trump’s campaign has recently shifted significant resources to amplify this message beyond his core supporters. In the past three weeks alone, his campaign has spent over $15.5 million on ads that resurrect comments made by Harris in 2019 regarding gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates. Chris LaCivita, one of Trump’s campaign managers, emphasized the effectiveness of using Harris’s own words, stating, “It doesn’t require any hyperbole; it’s her.”
The ads have been strategically placed during high-profile events, such as football games, to maximize their reach. Pollster Jim McLaughlin noted that the issue resonates particularly with mothers, who express strong emotions about fairness in sports for their daughters.
Despite the focus on transgender issues, polls indicate that a majority of Americans support acceptance of transgender individuals. However, a Gallup poll from 2023 revealed that only 26% of Americans believe transgender athletes should compete on teams that align with their gender identity, a significant drop from previous years.
As the election draws near, it remains to be seen whether this strategy will yield the desired results for Republicans or if it will backfire, as it did in previous elections. For now, the focus on transgender issues is shaping the narrative in key races, highlighting the deep cultural divisions that continue to influence American politics.
