Democrats would probably get more votes if they abandoned trans people. But they haven't.https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/02/democrats-would-probably-get-more-votes-if-they-abandoned-trans-people-but-they-havent/ 🔗Alex Bollinger (18 Feb 2026)
A new poll shows – like many recent polls – that the public has turned largely against transgender people's rights.
The poll from the liberal publication The Argument found broad opposition to transgender rights among U.S. registered voters, with only around a third of Americans supporting letting trans kids get puberty blockers with parental consent and a doctor's recommendation. Over half supported requiring trans people to use the restroom associated with their sex assigned at birth. And a large majority – 60% – supported trans sports bans.
... Democratic elected officials are more likely (compared to their constituents) to have met trans people in the past and know the facts on these issues, and we know that having met a trans person makes a person more likely to support trans rights.
Democratic electeds are also more likely to meet with activists who support trans rights, to meet with trans constituents who lobby them for their votes, to hear trans people's stories... in short, to live in a media and social ecosystem that supports equal rights for all.
Another part is that, despite the knee-jerk cynical comments people make, Democratic elected officials often go into politics with a strong sense of morality, and poll numbers aren't going to be enough to get them to abandon equal rights for all.
