US Senate Democrats give excuse for rejecting pro-women’s sports bill: Let locals decide

When it comes to transgender-identifying athletes competing in women’s sports, Democrats are suddenly arguing for local control, but not in other areas of education.

No Senate Democrat voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act last week, which would have barred transgender-identifying males from competing in K-12 and collegiate sports nationwide. It was proposed by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, a former national champion college football coach. 

Some Senate Democrats admitted they worry about safety and fairness in women’s sports, but still voted against the measure, claiming such issues should be decided at the local level. 

For example, Sen. Cory Booker told Axios that people with more knowledge about local sports leagues should regulate transgender athletes. 

“There are basic issues of fairness here,” said Booker, D-New Jersey. “There are really important issues that we should be discussing on the local level, within sports leagues and within conferences.” 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, who reportedly spearheaded the Democrats’ messaging effort on this legislation, likewise said Senate Republicans don’t know more about sports than local sports leagues. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said he “understands the frustration” around transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. However, the liberal said he worries if one school or athlete defied the policy, it would cost every school in his state money. 

“While these are complex issues, considerations of fairness and safety in sports are made every day by parents, educators, and school administrators at the local level,” King said in a statement.  

Democrats have typically not argued for local control on education issues.  

While many Republicans support abolishing the federal Department of Education (DOE) and returning control of schools over to the states, for example, elected Democrats think the federal government should have a role in dictating education standards nationwide. 

Booker recently issued a statement condemning Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Trump administration’s support for abolishing the DOE. 

“Dismantling the Department will make the very real challenges we face, including inadequate school funding, teacher shortages, and declines in student performance, even harder to overcome,” Booker wrote. 

Similarly, Baldwin penned a letter to then-Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter last month defending the role of the department. Her colleagues Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, also signed the letter. 

“We will not stand by and allow the impact that dismantling the Department of Education would have on the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities,” the lawmakers wrote. 

Though Democrats typically support a strong federal role in education and using “gender identity” rather than biological sex, little public support exists for males competing in girls’ sports.  

A January 2025 New York Times poll found that 79% of Americans support banning transgender-identifying male athletes from girls’ sports, while 18% oppose it. 

Conservatives say the discrepancy comes because Democrats know supporting transgender athletes is a losing issue. 

“Behind closed doors, many Democrats know that they need to come up with a stronger message and strategy to counter Republicans who are attacking them over their support for allowing men to play in women’s sports and transgenderism more broadly,” writes conservative journalist Nick Pope.