Happy news. Markey has been a great senator. Interesting that it seems his fairmindedness and progressive views easily outweighed the age factor. I wish him the best. Way to go, Mass!! And thanks for the coverage, Erin!
A key reason why Democrats cannot and should not stake out anti-trans sports provisions is because it never stops there. Sports bans are consistently pushed by conservatives not just as a goal in and of themselves, but to get the foot in the door for even worse stuff, like ID bans and medical care bans. Another reason not to stake out such positions is because once it’s done, walking it back later, or modifying it, is of little value; the lack of trust persists among the LGBT community.
Seth Moulton apparently decided that when the political winds get rough, the transgender community makes a convenient piece of political baggage to throw overboard.
Nice strategy, Seth—except these are real people, not campaign luggage.
The transgender community may be relatively small, but they are Americans, our neighbors, friends, family members and fellow citizens. They aren't a threat to America, and they certainly don't need politicians deciding their rights are expendable whenever an election gets difficult.
If Moulton thinks distancing himself from transgender Americans is going to make Democrats more politically successful, perhaps he should remember what leadership is supposed to look like. You don't prove your courage by throwing a vulnerable community under the bus and then climbing aboard yourself.
And here's the irony: after being criticized for his earlier remarks, Moulton apologized and now says he will stand with the transgender community.
That's certainly convenient.
Rights shouldn't depend on which direction the political wind is blowing, Seth. If you only stand with people when it's politically safe, you're not standing up for them—you’re standing on them.
Good good good!!! Hope all these fair weather allies are taking note.
Also, what kind of father of two daughters sees an incident where someone is transvestigated back to kindergarten and thinks, "Yes that's great! I, too, want my two daughters to be subject to invasions of privacy and genital inspections in their lifetime!!"
As a Massachusetts voter, I am proud of my state for doing the right thing! Markey has been a great senator. He comes out here to Western Mass for rallies, unlike many politicians who forget that Boston is not the whole of the state.
He's my senator, I have voted for him in every election and he continuously stands up on the progressive just side of the issues. So grateful he has been re-elected!
I immediately picked up on what he said and it was almost word for word what the anti-transgender cohorts say which diminishes all trans girls. I don’t know if my one person crusade made a difference but all of my friends knew if they voted for him we would have a conversation and they could explain how they chose hatred instead of kindness. And yes I am one of those radicals that will address you by your chosen name and pronouns.
Who'd have thought that appealing to swing voters in Ohio would fail to boost Moulton's Massachusetts senate candidacy?
In all seriousness, it's breathtaking to see how quick some Democrats are to surrender, even when they don't have to! Moulton could have kept his mouth shut and won his congressional seat handily if he chose to stay, and even perhaps could have beaten Markey for the senate. Instead, he decided to stake out a position to the right of his opponent... in the Massachusetts Democratic primary! It would be like a Republican primary candidate in Kansas saying there's too much Christianity in politics, and those evangelist nutjobs are making us all look crazy. That never happens, because it would be obvious political suicide. Even if the candidate felt that way privately, saying it out loud would predictably hurt their political fortunes.
No, Republicans know that, even if their base does not constitute the majority of Americans, there are too many of them to ignore; as a politician, you have to serve the people who elected you, or they will find someone else who does.
But Democrats often seem like they resent their own voters more than anyone else. They see progressive voters in general, and trans people in particular, as inconvenient obstacles to the power and influence that society owes to them.
Ironically, I think that sort of craven willingness to abandon one's own constituents is repulsive to most voters. A simple lesson most of us learn as children, but which centrist Democrats have still failed to internalize: if you try to appease everyone, you end up pleasing no one.
I mostly agree but I think a big part is that they just assume everyone left of center will automatically vote for them and that somehow, maybe, if they just say a few right-wing things, they'll also attract right-wing voters to switch to a Democrat.
I don't understand why they still seem to think that but of course it's a myth: no Republican voter is going to vote for a Democrat, just because that Democrat seems to support a few of the same positions.
I live in N.E. Ohio and talk to a LOT of Republican voters in my day-to-day life. Many of them don't like what the Trump administration is doing, and they support a lot of Democratic policies... but they absolutely will not vote for a Democrat. The best we can hope is that those voters are so disillusioned with Republicans that they sit out the elections (and also hope the Democratic/Independent turnout is high enough to flip various offices!).
This is kind of the whole of the Democratic Party. They are SO heads-down with their pundits and pollsters and entrenched strategists that they just slice away groups that they don't see as 100% risk-free.
I honestly think a lot of these guys actually *hate* being in the party, esp. when they realize that their "base" is really a coalition of people who are "inconvenient".
One of the really important things here is that Markey did not just support trans folks for this one election. He has been supporting for years Non-Stop. It's not an election issue for him. It's a deeply held belief.
I do love a happy ending!!!! Especially, for our community!!! 🥳❤️
Happy news. Markey has been a great senator. Interesting that it seems his fairmindedness and progressive views easily outweighed the age factor. I wish him the best. Way to go, Mass!! And thanks for the coverage, Erin!
A key reason why Democrats cannot and should not stake out anti-trans sports provisions is because it never stops there. Sports bans are consistently pushed by conservatives not just as a goal in and of themselves, but to get the foot in the door for even worse stuff, like ID bans and medical care bans. Another reason not to stake out such positions is because once it’s done, walking it back later, or modifying it, is of little value; the lack of trust persists among the LGBT community.
Seth Moulton apparently decided that when the political winds get rough, the transgender community makes a convenient piece of political baggage to throw overboard.
Nice strategy, Seth—except these are real people, not campaign luggage.
The transgender community may be relatively small, but they are Americans, our neighbors, friends, family members and fellow citizens. They aren't a threat to America, and they certainly don't need politicians deciding their rights are expendable whenever an election gets difficult.
If Moulton thinks distancing himself from transgender Americans is going to make Democrats more politically successful, perhaps he should remember what leadership is supposed to look like. You don't prove your courage by throwing a vulnerable community under the bus and then climbing aboard yourself.
And here's the irony: after being criticized for his earlier remarks, Moulton apologized and now says he will stand with the transgender community.
That's certainly convenient.
Rights shouldn't depend on which direction the political wind is blowing, Seth. If you only stand with people when it's politically safe, you're not standing up for them—you’re standing on them.
In addition to the outcome in Massachusetts, would-be anti-trans Democrats can also take a lesson from the Labour Party’s debacle in the UK.
Good riddance!!! I am so happy to live in MA among a majority of good sensible people!
There are good people in the world! Moulton is an opportunist who is creepy in his own way. Glad he got booted out of office.
Good good good!!! Hope all these fair weather allies are taking note.
Also, what kind of father of two daughters sees an incident where someone is transvestigated back to kindergarten and thinks, "Yes that's great! I, too, want my two daughters to be subject to invasions of privacy and genital inspections in their lifetime!!"
(cue face eating leopards, etc etc)
As a Massachusetts voter, I am proud of my state for doing the right thing! Markey has been a great senator. He comes out here to Western Mass for rallies, unlike many politicians who forget that Boston is not the whole of the state.
I just hope they learn the lesson.
They lost 2024 because they couldn't support us not because they did.
Most people don't really care but they are against hurting people
Cue that obligatory, "Another One Bites The Dust", bassline.
Will they learn?
Thank you Mrs. Reed.
He's my senator, I have voted for him in every election and he continuously stands up on the progressive just side of the issues. So grateful he has been re-elected!
I immediately picked up on what he said and it was almost word for word what the anti-transgender cohorts say which diminishes all trans girls. I don’t know if my one person crusade made a difference but all of my friends knew if they voted for him we would have a conversation and they could explain how they chose hatred instead of kindness. And yes I am one of those radicals that will address you by your chosen name and pronouns.
I feel just horrible for Seth. No, I do. Just look at my face. I'm devastated.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Who'd have thought that appealing to swing voters in Ohio would fail to boost Moulton's Massachusetts senate candidacy?
In all seriousness, it's breathtaking to see how quick some Democrats are to surrender, even when they don't have to! Moulton could have kept his mouth shut and won his congressional seat handily if he chose to stay, and even perhaps could have beaten Markey for the senate. Instead, he decided to stake out a position to the right of his opponent... in the Massachusetts Democratic primary! It would be like a Republican primary candidate in Kansas saying there's too much Christianity in politics, and those evangelist nutjobs are making us all look crazy. That never happens, because it would be obvious political suicide. Even if the candidate felt that way privately, saying it out loud would predictably hurt their political fortunes.
No, Republicans know that, even if their base does not constitute the majority of Americans, there are too many of them to ignore; as a politician, you have to serve the people who elected you, or they will find someone else who does.
But Democrats often seem like they resent their own voters more than anyone else. They see progressive voters in general, and trans people in particular, as inconvenient obstacles to the power and influence that society owes to them.
Ironically, I think that sort of craven willingness to abandon one's own constituents is repulsive to most voters. A simple lesson most of us learn as children, but which centrist Democrats have still failed to internalize: if you try to appease everyone, you end up pleasing no one.
Well, good riddance, Seth!
I mostly agree but I think a big part is that they just assume everyone left of center will automatically vote for them and that somehow, maybe, if they just say a few right-wing things, they'll also attract right-wing voters to switch to a Democrat.
I don't understand why they still seem to think that but of course it's a myth: no Republican voter is going to vote for a Democrat, just because that Democrat seems to support a few of the same positions.
I live in N.E. Ohio and talk to a LOT of Republican voters in my day-to-day life. Many of them don't like what the Trump administration is doing, and they support a lot of Democratic policies... but they absolutely will not vote for a Democrat. The best we can hope is that those voters are so disillusioned with Republicans that they sit out the elections (and also hope the Democratic/Independent turnout is high enough to flip various offices!).
This is kind of the whole of the Democratic Party. They are SO heads-down with their pundits and pollsters and entrenched strategists that they just slice away groups that they don't see as 100% risk-free.
I honestly think a lot of these guys actually *hate* being in the party, esp. when they realize that their "base" is really a coalition of people who are "inconvenient".
One of the really important things here is that Markey did not just support trans folks for this one election. He has been supporting for years Non-Stop. It's not an election issue for him. It's a deeply held belief.
This is a great article, and such happy news. Thank you so much! May all politicians pay this price for ignorance and bigotry.