Democrats are heading into the 2026 midterms confronting a debate that has divided their party and repeatedly put candidates on the defensive: transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
asserted
that → head → sports
Some candidates now oppose that participation, while others defend decisions by sports organizations — approaches that have exposed disagreements over policy and campaign strategy.
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that → oppose → policy
James Talarico – Texas
Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico voted against House Bill 25 in 2021, which required public-school athletes to compete based on the sex recorded on their birth certificates at or near birth.
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which → vote → birth
The measure became law despite Democratic opposition.
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measure → become → opposition
During a September Fox News interview, Talarico said he would oppose transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports when participation threatened safety or fairness.
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participation → say → safety
He defended his earlier opposition to restrictions as a response to overly broad legislation, saying he favored allowing local communities to make eligibility decisions.
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communities → defend → decisions
"As a former public school teacher, James cares about our student athletes — that’s why throughout his career he has opposed trans athletes playing girls’ sports when it jeopardizes safety or fairness," campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told OutKick on Tuesday.
"
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Ennis → care → Tuesday
At the same time, he’ll always stand against discrimination, especially when the most powerful politicians in the country bully students to score political points, because his faith teaches him that every child is made in the image of God.
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child → stand → God
"
Talarico's campaign has not responded to questions on whether he would vote in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
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he → respond → Act
Talarico’s Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has pursued legal action to exclude transgender athletes from women’s competition.
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opponent → pursue → competition
In December 2024, he sued the NCAA, alleging that marketing competitions as women’s events while permitting athletes of the male sex violated Texas consumer-protection law.
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marketing → sue → law
Paxton sought an injunction barring their participation in women’s events in Texas or involving Texas teams, or requiring the NCAA to stop marketing those competitions as women’s sports.
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Paxton → seek → sports
Abdul El-Sayed – Michigan
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has previously advocated for transgender students’ access to sports teams matching their gender identity.
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Sayed → advocate → identity
During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, he told Pride Source that state-level efforts should protect young people’s access to bathrooms, locker rooms and "sports teams of choice," arguing that exclusion could worsen bullying and mental-health problems.
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exclusion → tell → bullying
"To me, I think it's really important for us to fight at the state level to protect access to bathrooms, to locker rooms, to sports teams of choice for young people," he said.
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he → think → people
"The consequence here that we don't appreciate is that not only are you otherizing people who usually have a much harder time in school because of the risk of bullying as a function of gender identity, but also the mental health consequences of this are real."
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consequences → appreciate → this
Asked about transgender athletes in women’s sports during an August 2026 Fox News interview, El-Sayed said eligibility should be "decided by the people who govern sports."
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who → ask → sports
He sought to redirect the discussion toward healthcare and affordability, without specifying the eligibility restrictions he would support.
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he → seek → restrictions
El-Sayed's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
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campaign → respond → comment
El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, supports excluding athletes of the male sex from girls’ and women’s competition.
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opponent → support → competition
During his 2024 Senate campaign, Rogers signed Independent Women’s Voice’s Stand With Women Commitment, pledging to support legislation preserving female opportunities and private spaces.
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Rogers → sign → opportunities
"Biological men should not be competing with our daughters, period," he said when announcing the commitment.
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he → compete → commitment
Roy Cooper – North Carolina
North Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Roy Cooper vetoed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act as governor in July 2023.
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Cooper → veto → July
The legislation prohibited athletes of the male sex from competing on girls’ and women’s middle-school, high-school and college teams, defining sex by reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
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legislation → prohibit → birth
"We don’t need politicians inflaming their political culture wars by making broad, uninformed decisions about an extremely small number of vulnerable children that are already handled by a robust system that relies on parents, schools and sports organizations," Cooper wrote in his veto message at the time.
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Cooper → need → time
The state's GOP supermajority overrode his veto that August.
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supermajority → override → veto
Cooper's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
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campaign → respond → comment
Cooper’s Republican opponent, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, supports North Carolina’s restrictions on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports and has criticized Cooper’s veto.
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opponent → support → veto
At a September campaign event in Pittsboro, Whatley praised legislation enacted over Cooper’s opposition and accused the former governor of prioritizing transgender participation over protections for female athletes.
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Whatley → praise → athletes
Jon Ossoff – Georgia
Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff voted against advancing the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in March 2025.
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Ossoff → vote → March
The legislation would have prohibited federally funded educational institutions from allowing athletes of the male sex to compete in sports designated for women or girls.
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athletes → prohibit → women
Ossoff defended his 2025 vote by calling the bill an overreach.
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Ossoff → defend → bill
He told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that school districts and athletic associations could ensure safe, fair competition without subjecting children’s bodies to intrusive federal investigation.
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districts → tell → investigation
In March 2026, he also voted against advancing a transgender sports restriction offered as an amendment to the SAVE America Act.
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he → vote → Act
Ossoff's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
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campaign → respond → comment
Ossoff’s Republican opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act when it passed the House in January 2025.
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it → vote → January
The legislation would prohibit federally funded educational institutions from allowing athletes of the male sex to compete in sports designated for women or girls.
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athletes → prohibit → women
Collins has also highlighted his opposition to transgender participation in women’s sports during his Senate campaign.
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Collins → highlight → campaign
Peggy Flanagan – Minnesota
Minnesota’s Democratic Senate nominee, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, has committed to supporting the Transgender Bill of Rights, according to the Christopher Street Project’s executive director.
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nominee → commit → director
The nonbinding resolution calls for federal protections against gender-identity discrimination throughout school life, explicitly including athletics and access to facilities.
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resolution → call → facilities
…and 43 more, not listed.
The Aporia
