First Acton, now Kaptur: Ohio Democrats face progressive backlash over transgender issues

Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur has become the second prominent Ohio Democrat in recent weeks to face backlash from progressive activists after breaking with parts of her party on transgender-related issues ahead of the November election.

Kaptur, whose district covers the Toledo area, drew criticism after joining seven other House Democrats in supporting legislation requiring schools to notify parents before using a student’s preferred name or pronouns or recognizing a gender identity different from the student’s biological sex.

The vote follows Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s criticism from progressive groups after she said she does not support boys competing in girls’ sports.

Kaptur voted for House Resolution 2616, known as the Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act, when it passed the House and advanced to the Senate. The Republican-backed measure would require federally funded schools to obtain parental consent before using a minor student’s preferred name or pronouns on official forms or allowing the student to use bathrooms or locker rooms based on gender identity rather than biological sex.

The legislation would also withhold federal funding from schools found to teach or promote concepts related to gender identity.

Kaptur previously opposed legislation containing similar provisions, making her support for the narrower measure a departure from her past voting record on LGBT-related issues.

She defended the vote in a statement by emphasizing parental involvement and communication between families and schools.

“Every child deserves dignity, respect, and compassion, and our responsibility is to foster trust between families and schools,” Kaptur said. “Parents have a right to be involved in their children’s lives and to have important information about their child’s well-being.”

Kaptur added that parental involvement is an important principle so long as students retain safe ways to report abuse.

Her explanation did little to satisfy some transgender activists. Ari Childrey, vice chair of the Ohio Democratic Party’s Pride Caucus, argued in a commentary published by the LGBT-focused Buckeye Flame that Kaptur’s vote marked a departure from her previous support for LGBT-related legislation.

Childrey said activists initially sought an explanation from Kaptur’s office but were told earlier this month that she would not issue a statement about the vote. Kaptur later provided a statement to Signal Statewide after the outlet requested comment.

Kaptur’s vote follows similar criticism directed at Acton after she said she would enforce Ohio’s law prohibiting male athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

“I do not support boys playing in girls’ sports,” Acton said after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld similar state restrictions. “This is already settled law in Ohio, and as governor, I will uphold and enforce the law.”

The Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus responded with a statement criticizing Acton and warning that her position had reduced enthusiasm among activists who had planned to campaign for her. The group later deleted the statement but said its members remained willing to work with Acton on other priorities.

The Ohio Democratic Party’s Pride Caucus separately rejected Acton’s language, declaring in a social media post that “trans girls are girls.”

The two episodes highlight an ongoing debate within the Democratic Party over how candidates should address transgender-related issues following the party’s losses in the 2024 election.

Republicans made transgender participation in women’s sports, medical procedures for minors and parental rights in schools prominent campaign issues during that election.

Kaptur faces another competitive reelection campaign in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, which became more favorable to Republicans under the state’s new congressional map. The revised district would have favored President Donald Trump. Kaptur narrowly defeated Republican Derek Merrin by less than one percentage point in 2024, and the two are set for a rematch in November.

Republicans argue Kaptur’s recent vote does not erase her previous positions. She voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in 2023 and 2025 and previously supported legislation expanding federal protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Her campaign also received $13,000 from Equality PAC between 2022 and 2024, according to federal campaign finance records cited in previous Ohio.News reporting. Equality PAC supports transgender medical treatments and other LGBT policy priorities. Kaptur is seeking another term through her principal campaign committee, Kaptur for Congress.

“Marcy Kaptur has spent 43 years building one of the most far-left records in Congress, and no election-year pivot is going to erase it,” Republican National Committee spokesman Hunter Lovell said in a statement provided to Ohio.News.

Kaptur has said her vote reflects support for parental involvement rather than a broader shift in her position on transgender-related issues. Progressive critics, however, contend that parental-notification requirements could force schools to disclose a student’s gender identity before the student is prepared to tell family members.

Acton has similarly framed her position around enforcing existing Ohio law while directing her campaign toward economic issues, including taxes, living costs and government corruption.

The criticism of both Kaptur and Acton comes as Ohio Democrats continue debating how to address transgender-related issues after the party’s 2024 losses while Republicans continue making the issue a central theme in statewide and congressional campaigns.