US Democratic Congressman Don Davis Backs State Ban on Trans Women in Sports in Campaign Ad
In early October 2026, in North Carolina, Democratic Congressman Don Davis, who is running for reelection in the state’s competitive 1st congressional district, released a television campaign ad publicly endorsing his state’s ban on transgender women and girls participating in women’s sports categories.
According to the American specialized news outlet LGBTQ Nation , the 30-second spot shows Davis standing on an empty football field, referencing his athletic background: “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. That’s why I believe states should decide what’s right for protecting women and girls, and North Carolina has decided.” The ad then displays a 2023 news headline highlighting North Carolina’s passage of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which prohibited trans athletes from competing on female teams in middle school, high school, and college sports. “I approve this message because there should always be a safe and fair space for women and girls in sports,” Davis concludes.
This is not the first legislative move where Davis has aligned with Republicans on transgender-related issues. In May 2026, he was one of eight House Democrats who voted in favor of H.R. 2616, the “Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act,” which would require parental consent before public schools can use updated names or pronouns for transgender students and limits the teaching of gender identity concepts. The previous year, Davis voted for a conservative bill banning gender-affirming medical procedures for minors, while voting “present” on a federal ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports. Earlier, in 2023, he was an original co-sponsor of the federal Equality Act, which aimed to establish nationwide anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans.
The ad drew pushback from both sides of the political aisle. The Republican Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC dismissed Davis’s message as an effort to “run from his radical trans record,” arguing that the federal Equality Act he previously co-sponsored would have nullified state-level sports measures like North Carolina’s law. Meanwhile, transgender advocacy groups and progressive commentators criticized the lawmaker for deploying conservative talking points to court swing voters, with some LGBTQ+ figures having previously suggested he face caucus expulsion for his prior votes.
The 55-year-old Don Davis is a U.S. Air Force veteran, former military officer, minister, and educator who represented eastern North Carolina in the state Senate for over a decade before his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022. Following congressional redistricting enacted by state lawmakers, North Carolina’s 1st district became significantly more competitive and right-leaning, prompting moderate Democrats to distance themselves from their party’s progressive wing.
Previously, Urania reported on a campaign ad by Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur criticizing gender ideology and trans inclusion in female sports , public backlash against Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand for endorsing restrictions on trans athletes , and ongoing debate over advocacy groups endorsing Democratic candidates with anti-trans voting records .
