How "wildly successful" anti-trans ads fired up Texas voters for Republicans
It took decades for so many to support gays--it will take decades for many to support trans folks.
How “wildly successful” anti-trans ads fired up Texas voters for Republicans
The barrage of ads focused on trans kids playing youth sports motivated the Republican base as Democrats struggled to respond.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/transgender-ads-motivate-texas-republicans/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_content=1731076145&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
By Eleanor Klibanoff Nov. 8, 2024 Updated: 9 AM Central
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People line the railing on all three levels of the outdoor rotunda of the state Capitol in Austin, and wave signs during the "Fight for our Lives" rally in opposition of anti-LGBTQ bills on March 27, 2023.
People wave signs, lining the railing on all three levels of the outdoor rotunda of the state Capitol in Austin during the "Fight for our Lives" rally in opposition of anti-LGBTQ bills on March 27, 2023. Credit:
Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
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In the final weeks of a heated reelection campaign, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz released a television ad with a simple message — “Boys and girls: They’re different.”
In the ad, Cruz accused his Democratic challenger, Colin Allred, of wanting boys to play on girls’ sports teams. Allred released his own ad vehemently denying the claim. Neither mentioned that the Texas Legislature had already banned student athletes from playing on teams that didn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth.
Even before the votes rolled in, the fact that Texas’ senate candidates were arguing about youth sports, rather than the economy, immigration or the future of democracy itself, was a Republican victory. For years, conservative political strategists had been pushing the party to hammer Democrats on what they see as “extreme” stances on gender.
Many of the ads focused on trans children playing on youth sports teams. But they also tried to pin Democrats for supporting policies that allow young people to medically transition, and narrow instances in which taxpayer dollars were used to pay for gender-affirming care for inmates or members of the military, all of which the Republicans would like to see banned..........................
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