This year has featured a large number of Democrats ceding ground to right-wing narratives about transgender people. Multiple Democratic candidates have released anti-trans ads, taken anti-trans votes, or otherwise staked out positions that would harm the transgender community in their quest for political power. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to push their own anti-trans ad campaign, with Elon Musk’s PAC pouring $100 million into ads, many of them targeting transgender people. Now, Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina, becomes the latest Democrat to target transgender people, despite her previous claims of support. In her latest ad, she appears to flip-flop on positions she has previously taken, calling transgender women “biological men” and announcing her opposition to transgender participation in women’s sports. She also says she does not support "gender surgery for minors” and would not overturn the felony youth HRT and puberty blocker ban in South Carolina.
“Politics can get pretty ugly, and when it does, you deserve to hear the truth. My career as a pediatrician has always been about taking care of kids, and I’ve got three of my own. So I want you to hear me loud and clear: I don’t support biological men playing women’s sports, and I don’t support and haven’t ever performed gender surgery for minors. I’m Dr. Annie Andrews, and I approve this message because Darline Graham lying about me won’t do a thing to help you,” the ad says.