On Saturday, Oct. 24, Josh Turek, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa, released a new ad targeting transgender people—perhaps the worst anti-transgender ad of the entire election cycle to come from a Democrat. The ad begins with Turek talking about his disability and the importance of not discriminating, before immediately turning to adopt discriminatory policies toward transgender people. One such policy is a sports ban, a position sadly becoming increasingly common among high-profile Democrats in competitive races, and one that alone would have made this yet another newsworthy anti-trans ad. But Turek then goes further, advocating for a new policy: a proposal to ban federally funded gender-affirming care in the United States, one that would impact a substantial number of transgender people and make their care difficult to impossible to receive.
“As a kid in a wheelchair, I faced my share of bullying. It’s why I believe that no Iowan should face discrimination,” Turek begins in the ad, before turning to embrace discrimination: “As a Paralympian, I also know it’s important to have rules. 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.” The ad then ends by declaring it’s time to “stop the nonsense from both extremes and start to focus on lowering costs for Iowans.” Notably, the “from both extremes” clip flashes to Rep. Becca Balint, the first woman and first openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress, questioning Attorney General Pam Bondi on Epstein survivors.
You can watch the full ad here:
The ad is the latest in a slew of anti-transgender ads from high-profile Democratic candidates, and Iowa has been particularly remarkable for the way many of its Democrats have embraced and run on policies targeting transgender people. First, Sarah Trone Garriott, the Democratic nominee in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, ran an ad stating, “I oppose letting men in women’s locker rooms.” Meanwhile, Rob Sand, the party’s nominee for governor, said that he didn’t want “biological boys” in girls’ sports, and said that people “get mad if you use this word or that word.” He refused to walk those comments back when confronted at a rally. Turek, though, has been one of the most extreme anti-transgender Democratic candidates in the country, and his latest ad is perhaps the most extreme ever released by a Democrat, with the possible exception of Marcy Kaptur’s ad in Ohio calling transgender people an “ideology.”
The policy he is describing amounts to a “transgender Hyde Amendment,” an extreme policy pushed by Republicans targeting trans care. Such an amendment would restrict all federal funding for gender-affirming care, which could hit a surprising number of places: research, federal hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, VA care and federally subsidized ACA plans would all be impacted, leaving substantial numbers of transgender people unable to afford their care. Though Trump has successfully restricted some Medicaid funding for transgender youth through draconian executive orders, he has not done so for transgender adults. Turek’s policy in the ad, however, does not even limit itself to transgender youth but targets all care, making it even harsher.
Outrage over the ad was swift, with many transgender people and organizations calling out the harm it causes. “Turek’s stance is cruel, electorally misguided, and out of step with his own party. Most swing-seat Democrats have stood with us, but keeping the trans community’s trust requires Democrats—and, at a minimum, LGBTQ+ organizations—to call this bullshit out,” said Tyler Hack, executive director of the Christopher Street Project, an organization focused on electing pro-transgender candidates to public office.
“This ad will not pick up a single new voter,” posted famed transgender author Julia Serano on Bluesky, “As I discuss in my most recent essay … candidates like Turek are actively working to divide the current anti-MAGA coalition. If you’re worried about trans ppl protesting or not voting, don’t blame us, BLAME TUREK et al FOR BEING DIVISIVE!”
One poster even noted that they were able to request a refund of their donation through ActBlue (you can find instructions on how to request a refund of your own donation to Turek’s campaign here).
As the final days leading up to the election come to a close, candidates across the country are choosing what message they want to end with. While some Democrats, such as Sherrod Brown, have pulled back on their anti-trans ads, and others, such as Sam Forstag in Montana and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, have openly refused to throw transgender people under the bus, Turek is making his closing message about anti-transgender hate. In an election that hinges on the price of groceries and health care, it remains to be seen whether his puzzling choice will pay off or doom his campaign.
This is so disappointing because with Obama’s endorsement he doesn’t have to scoop down to that level to win. And it is hurtful to have this hateful rhetoric to come from someone who also belongs to a marginalized and a vulnerable population.
O for God's sake - every damn Democrat in a close race has chosen to make the trans community their get-out-of-losing card. And these are our "friends..."