Republicans are rolling out a new wave of television ads this fall targeting Texas Democrats for supporting pro-LGBTQ+ legislation. The ads have been labeled as misleading by the Democratic candidates, who argue that these attacks are a distraction from their key legislative priorities.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) released its first Texas ad of the general election on Tuesday, accusing U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, of advocating for "sex changes for kids." The bilingual ad features a man from Brownsville, Texas, who calls Gonzalez "loco, loco" for allegedly using public money to push gender transition surgeries for minors.
Gonzalez, a moderate Democrat, swiftly denied the claims. "I have never supported tax dollars paying for gender transition surgeries and never will," he said in a statement.
Republicans are hoping to flip Gonzalez's seat in the upcoming election, throwing their full support behind former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, his opponent. The NRCC has committed around $800,000 to bilingual ads targeting the Harlingen market, where Republicans see an opportunity to make gains.
In a parallel effort, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has unveiled his largest ad buy to date. Two ads targeting his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, with claims that Allred supports policies allowing men to use women's restrooms and participate in "girls' sports." The ads also suggest that Allred doesn't "know the difference between boys and girls."
Allred's campaign responded forcefully, calling the accusations "disgusting, false attacks" and accusing Cruz of using the issue to distract voters. "Ted Cruz will say anything to distract from his dangerous abortion ban that is putting women's lives at risk," said Josh Stewart, an Allred spokesperson, in a statement.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups were quick to condemn the ads, accusing Republicans of promoting harmful narratives and diverting attention from issues like border security and the economy.
Johnathan Gooch, communications director for Equality Texas, criticized the campaign in an interview with The Texas Tribune. "The rhetoric is truly alarming, and trans Texans have dealt with a lot. They don't need their lives politicized. I think most Texans care about their grocery bill more than they care about anything else," Gooch said.
As both parties prepare for a contentious election, LGBTQ+ rights are emerging as a central issue in the Republican strategy. Recent polling from the University of Houston shows that a majority of Texans are strongly opposed to allowing transgender individuals to participate in women's sports or use bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Cruz's campaign, in coordination with the Texas Republican Party, is investing $6.7 million into these ads — the largest buy of the election season so far. His ad campaign is also targeting Latino voters, with an additional $4.4 million investment in Hispanic outreach. One of Cruz's latest Spanish broadcast ads features a corrido, a traditional Mexican ballad, portraying him as a brave senator defending family values and fighting against high taxes.
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