Democrats criticize Turek over ad on trans issues

Some Democrats are criticizing Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek over his recent ad on transgender sports and gender affirming care.

“As a kid in a wheelchair, I faced my share of bullying. That’s why I believe that no Iowan should face discrimination. As a Paralympian, I also know it’s important to have rules,” Turek says in the ad.

“It’s why I oppose males competing in female sports, something that is already illegal in Iowa. I’m against taxpayers paying for sex changes too. Anyone tells you any different, is lying,” he adds.

According to a Saturday report from The Washington Post , Osceola County Democratic Party Chair Kathy Winter said Turek’s position was against the platform of the Iowa Democratic Party, which does not support limits for transgender health care.

“At a time of unprecedented hate and bigotry being directed at transgender Iowans, I cannot in good [conscience] vote for a man who is promising to make their lives worse,” Winter said, per a Friday statement obtained by the Post.

In a recent interview with local outlet KCRG, Iowa state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl (D) responded to Turek’s ad by saying that “you don’t need to throw people under the bus to win elections.”

“The plain fact is that these talking points don’t win elections. These talking points aren’t going to gain you anything with the voters,” she added.

Turek’s ad comes after the Republicans and Elon Musk spent millions on ads that falsely targeted his stance on the issue, according to The New York Times . When asked about the ad, the Democrat told CNN’s Manu Raju that he has spoken about the issue many times and that his experience as a Paralympian gives him “more credibility to talk about this than almost any other politician in the country.”

“They’re putting $20 million in negative television ads to try to make me appear somebody I’m not, so I thought it was important we set the record straight,” he said.

“I believe biological males should not compete in female sports, and if that rubs some people in my party the wrong way, we’re a big party, and you don’t have to agree with me on everything,” he added.

In recent years, the issue of transgender rights has become extremely contentious in the U.S. Those on the right have sought to restrict transgender participation in sports categories aligned with people’s gender identity and access to gender affirming care.

During his first day back in office, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order recognizing only two sexes, male and female. The order also directed federal agencies to stop promotion of the concept of gender transition.