Democrats are still struggling to respond to Republican attacks on transgender rights, as the party looks toward the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race. According to a new Axios report, anti-trans politics dominated the 2024 election, when Donald Trump spent hundreds of millions of dollars on ads declaring, “Kamala Harris is for they/them, President Trump is for you.”
The Harris-Walz campaign largely avoided the issue, a strategy that may have left Democrats unprepared. Axios sent three trans-related questions to 11 potential 2028 Democratic candidates. Only three campaigns responded: Pete Buttigieg, Rahm Emanuel, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Others, including Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, did not reply. Buttigieg previously said trans issues should be handled with compassion for transgender people and empathy for people who are not sure what all of this means for them, adding that sports decisions should not be made by politicians.
Polling shows Americans are divided: many support bans on trans athletes in women’s sports, but most also support anti-discrimination protections. Advocacy groups say clear messaging matters. With Republicans still pushing anti-trans legislation, the 2026 midterms may determine whether Democrats are finally ready to meet the moment.
