Josh Turek ad opposing trans care draws criticism

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek released a campaign ad on October 24 opposing transgender women competing in women’s sports and taxpayer-funded gender-affirming care, drawing criticism from LGBTQ advocates and fellow Democrats as well as his Republican opponent, Ashley Hinson. In the ad, Turek invokes his experience growing up with a disability and competing as a Paralympian, saying he opposes males competing in female sports and taxpayers paying for “sex changes.” He says the sports restriction is already law in Iowa and urges voters to focus on lowering costs. The ad does not lay out a specific federal policy or explain which public programs or patients any funding restriction would cover. One Iowa Action, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, condemned the ad and said Turek had previously assured the organization that his personal views on transgender athletes would not become policy. The group also said he had promised not to introduce positions that contradicted his Iowa legislative voting record. Those assurances are described by the group; the reports do not provide an independent record of the conversations. State Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa’s first openly...