Progressives blast Acton after she says ‘I do not support boys playing in girls’ sports’
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s recent comments about “boys playing in girls’ sports” contradict leftist dogma, prompting Democrats and left-wing journalists to denounce her.
In a story last month about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, The Blade included comments from Acton, who told the news outlet that she agrees with the law prohibiting men who think they are women from competing against females in sports.
“I do not support boys playing in girls’ sports. This is already settled law in Ohio, and as governor I will enforce and uphold the law,” she said.
Acton told The Blade that “as a doctor, public servant, and a mom, [she] will always stand up for fairness and protect kids’ health and safety.”
“While my opponent tries to divide us, I’m laser-focused on issues that matter most to Ohioans: lowering costs, cracking down on corruption, and cutting taxes for working families,” she added.
The Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus released a statement on Facebook that has since been deleted, criticizing Acton’s comments. A reporter for Signal Ohio shared the screenshot of the statement in a post to X.
Signal Ohio: The Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus criticizes Amy Acton over saying she doesn’t support “boys playing in girls sports”
The group says it will cost her votes#OhioGovernor pic.twitter.com/qzuSyZarkN
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) July 9, 2026
“We are unified in believing Democrats win when they 1) unapologetically defend victims of MAGA fearmongering and 2) make clear their plan to improve the material conditions of everyday Ohioans,” the group wrote. “ZERO Ohioans have become better able to buy groceries by keeping child sport players away from their favorite sport. Our hearts break for those kids. Those who disagree with that will never vote – let alone doorknock – for Amy Acton.”
The caucus also wrote that their “progressive members were more ready to doorknock for her than they are today in light of her recent statement,” adding that it was “not out of malice, but out of the bad feeling in our chests.”
The group added that despite their members’ disagreement with Acton on the issue, they are still ready to collaborate with her “to achieve our shared goals to improve life in Ohio.”
“Currently, her inner circle does not include a voice representing the newest and largest constituency caucus in Ohio. We believe she will be best equipped to win in November by having a FULL picture of what her constituents want,” the group wrote. “We hope she will allow us to provide our missing piece of that picture as she goes forward.”
In addition to caucus members, left-wing journalists at The Buckeye Flame also criticized Acton for her comments, writing in one of their Tuesday articles that she “betrayed” Ohio’s “trans community” to win the election at the end of this year.
“I expected far more from Dr. Amy Acton. Since launching her campaign for governor, she has built her platform on a message of love, health, and inclusivity,” the author of the article wrote. “Yet, just weeks after walking in Columbus Pride and being showered with love from the LGBTQ+ community, she chose to legitimize a discriminatory law that targets an infinitesimally small number of vulnerable youth in Ohio.”
The self-described “transgender” also indirectly suggested that voting for Acton would not be a good choice because she is not “the lesser of two evils” and that this rhetoric “plays directly into the hands of those who want [‘transgenders’] erased from public life entirely.”
“In 2026, we do not need cautious, poll-tested politicians; we need leaders willing to show radical support for marginalized communities. If Dr. Acton truly wants to prove she is the better choice for Ohio, she needs to rise above the political calculus and actually prove it,” the author wrote.
