Democratic Rep. Don Davis released a campaign ad filmed on a football field that echoes Republican arguments against transgender girls competing in female school and college sports. The spot endorses North Carolina's law banning trans girls from those teams — a law enacted after the legislature overrode Gov. Roy Cooper's veto. The ad contrasts with Davis's earlier co‑sponsorship of the Equality Act and follows past votes that upset LGBTQ+ advocates. Davis faces a tougher rematch with Republican Laurie Buckhout in a newly redrawn, more Republican district.
Rep. Don Davis Runs Controversial Anti‑Trans Sports Ad After District Was Redrawn
don davis
Democratic Congressman Don Davis has released a campaign advertisement that adopts Republican talking points criticizing transgender athletes' participation in school and college sports. Filmed on a football field, the spot frames the debate around "fairness" and signals support for North Carolina's new restrictions on transgender girls' participation in female sports.
"I spent my childhood on fields like this and played football at the Air Force Academy. Fair competition was at the heart of those games, but let's be honest: there's real concerns about fairness and safety," Davis says in the ad. "That's why I believe states should decide what's right for protecting women and girls, and North Carolina has decided. I approve this message because there should always be a safe and fair space for women and girls in sports."
The North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation barring transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school and college teams and overrode a veto by then‑Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, to enact the law. That bill was part of a wave of anti‑trans measures advanced by the Republican‑controlled legislature in 2023 amid a nationwide effort targeting transgender rights.
Davis, who was already serving in Congress when those measures passed, appears to support leaving the state's restrictions in place. That stance contrasts with his earlier record: he co‑sponsored the Equality Act, which would have extended federal nondiscrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
His recent ad also follows prior votes that drew criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates. Davis was one of eight House Democrats who supported a version of a so‑called "don't say trans" bill that critics say could lead to the outing of students in schools.
Political Context
Davis is a top target for House Republicans, who have repeatedly used transgender rights as a campaign issue across multiple election cycles. He faces a rematch with Republican Laurie Buckhout after defeating her in 2024 by roughly 6,000 votes, according to WITN. That contest, however, preceded a mid‑decade redistricting plan approved by North Carolina Republicans that made his district more favorable to GOP voters.
The Cook Political Report now rates North Carolina's 1st Congressional District as Lean Republican, even as the national environment ahead of the midterms is generally viewed as more favorable to Democrats. The ad is widely seen as an effort to appeal to voters in the newly redrawn, more conservative district.
Bottom Line: Davis's new campaign spot underscores how transgender rights have become a persistent and polarizing political issue — one that can reshuffle alliances and complicate candidates' previous positions as they adapt to changing districts and competitive races.
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