Republicans have spent astronomical amounts of money this election cycle attacking Democrats over policies affecting transgender people, with very little pushback.
Trans rights advocates say they’re disappointed in how some Democratic candidates are countering the messaging, arguing that some of them are actually backpedaling on their records of supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
“I think for a lot of candidates, there is unease about being vocally in support of trans people because of the concern around them being used to fan the flames of opposition, to give the other candidate something to attack further,” said Landon Richie, the policy director of the nonpartisan Transgender Education Network of Texas, which does not endorse candidates.