This Democrat Says She's Against Pushing Gender Ideology on Kids – Her Record Says Something Else

Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-8) is boasting about protecting children from gender ideology in a brand-new campaign ad.

But her record says something far different.

The lawmaker, who is seeking reelection, put out a new ad in which she bashed her Republican opponent, Derek Merrin, for supposedly lying about her voting record. 

“Well, here's the truth,” Kaptur says in her ad. “I voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of our schools because parents know what's best for their kids. And boys should not play in girls' sports. Don't let them change the subject.”

Democrat Rep. Mary Kaptur says she's all about protecting kids.

“I voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of our schools because parents know what’s best for their kids, and boys should not play in girls' sports."

Her voting record says something different. pic.twitter.com/Ejo26zUtnM

— Jeff Charles, Asker of Questions🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) September 17, 2026

Sounds like a sensible Democrat who isn’t on board with the radical elements in her party, doesn’t she? But there is one glaring problem: She’s lying.

Kaptur voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act twice. Once in 2023 and again in 2025. The bill would have made it a Title IX violation for a school receiving taxpayer dollars to allow biological males to compete in women’s or girls’ sports while defining sex by one’s biology at birth.

The measure passed last year even with Kaptur and her comrades voting against it.

Kaptur also voted against the Congressional Review Act to cancel the Education Department’s Title IX rule treating gender identity as part of one’s sex. It would have prevented federal funds for going toward “gender-affirming” surgery. 

The lawmaker cosponsored the Equality Act, which would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights law. This measure would have prohibited schools from only allowing biological females to play in women’s and girls’ sports.

.@Marcy_Kaptur is an original co-sponsor of The 2025 Equality Act that would allow biological men to compete against female athletes and allow biological men to access female locker rooms, bathrooms, and domestic violence shelters.

(H.R. 15, Introduced 4/29/25). https://t.co/lhGqGpDTJo

— Nathanael Hirt (@NathanaelHirt) September 17, 2026

A spokesman for Merrin’s campaign said, “For 43 years, Marcy has been on the wrong side of too many common sense issues, like keeping men out of girls’ sports.”

A poll conducted in April showed Merrin at 47 percent and Kaptur at 43 percent, with seven percent undecided.

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