Caleb McCullough, PolitiFact
A recent advertisement in Kansas targeting Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton features footage of drag queens and claims he "preaches the gospel of woke." This ad is part of a broader trend of using anti-transgender rhetoric against Democrats in competitive midterm elections. The ad misrepresents Hamilton's statements by combining separate sentences to create a misleading quote. In a 2021 podcast, Hamilton expressed support for same-sex marriage but did not specify his views on transgender policies, stating that the church should not base decisions on public opinion.
Similar ads have appeared in states like Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and Texas, often omitting context about candidates' positions to make sweeping attacks. This messaging strategy echoes tactics used by President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign, where he criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris on transgender issues, which some analysts believe helped him gain support from swing voters.
Research from the American Principles Project indicates that these ads have made voters more likely to support Trump, with some voters expressing concern that Harris prioritized transgender issues over their interests. Polling data shows that a significant majority of Americans are uncomfortable with transgender athletes participating in sports aligned with their gender identity, and many support restrictions on medical care for transgender minors.
The focus of current ads is primarily on two issues: transgender athletes' participation in women's sports and gender-affirming medical care for minors. Republican National Committee spokesperson Hunter Lovell criticized Democrats for allegedly supporting what he termed "child gender mutilation."
Gender transition surgery for minors is rare, and medical guidelines do not support it for young children. Any medical treatment for transgender minors, such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy, requires parental consent. In various races, Republican candidates have made claims about their opponents supporting surgeries for minors, which have been rated false by fact-checkers.
Experts suggest that the focus on transgender issues reflects broader voter anxieties about cultural changes. While Republican attacks are often unified, Democratic responses vary, with some candidates distancing themselves from extreme accusations while others remain silent, potentially leading voters to perceive them as holding extreme views.
Democratic candidates have expressed opposition to gender-affirming surgeries for minors but have emphasized the need for respectful discourse rather than political attacks. Some experts argue that the effectiveness of anti-transgender messaging in swaying voters is uncertain, especially as voters prioritize economic issues in upcoming elections. Recent polling indicates that voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on transgender issues, suggesting that aggressive messaging may not yield the desired results for Republicans.