Conservative group launches six-figure campaign hitting Ossoff over transgender vote

The conservative group American Principles Project is launching a six-figure campaign hitting Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who’s up for reelection next year, over his vote against legislation that would bar federally funded schools from allowing transgender women to play in women’s sports.

“Jon Ossoff had a choice: to protect women's sports or sell out to the woke mob. Ossoff sold out,” a narrator in the 30-second ad says, which was first shared with The Hill.

“Years of practice wasted. The championship ripped away. Her scholarship stolen. Ossoff voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” the narrator continues. “He put politics over our daughters. Call Jon Ossoff -- tell him to protect our daughters’ sports and their safety.”

American Principles Project, which describes itself as “the only national pro-family organization engaging directly in campaigns and elections,” is attacking Ossoff after he voted against allowing legislation, which would have banned schools receiving federal funding from allowing transgender women to participate in women sports, from advancing.

Ossoff’s Senate counterpart, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), also voted to block it from proceeding. Republicans needed at least 60 votes to advance the bill.

“This is part of our new ‘Always on Campaign’ - we’re going to make sure Georgia voters are aware now about Jon Ossoff’s terrible vote against protecting women and children,” American Principles Project President Terry Schilling told The Hill in a statement.

Schilling noted the ad campaign would be geared toward more than 500,000 swing state voters in Georgia, with the digital ads beginning to be aired starting on Monday. Polling from The New York Times and Ipsos released earlier this year has found nearly four-fifths Americans, including 67 percent of Democrats, against allowing transgender women to participate in sports that correspond with their gender.

“We are going to fight tooth and nail to make sure that Democrats who continue to put our women in danger by ignoring common sense, science, and polling will feel the consequences of their votes,” Schilling said.

Ossoff has previously defended his vote on the bill, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a statement that the legislation was “overreach.”

“School districts and athletic associations can ensure fair, safe competition without subjecting the bodies of adolescent student athletes — children — to intrusive investigation by the federal government,” he added.

Ellie Doughtery, a spokeswoman for the Ossoff campaign, defended the senator’s vote in light of the new ad, telling The Hill in a statement on Friday, “American parents don't need Federal bureaucrats confirming our children's genitalia.”

“The Republican bill threatened extremely intrusive federal investigation of children's bodies. Athletic associations and local school districts can ensure fair, safe competition in childhood athletics,” she added.

Ossoff is bracing for a competitive reelection bid next year in Georgia, which President Trump won by 2 points last November. Republicans are waiting to see whether Gov. Brian Kemp (R) jumps in to face him; if he doesn’t, other GOP members have indicated they would be interested in running against Ossoff.

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