Republican Senate Candidate Buddy Carter Targets Jon Ossoff with Transgender Athlete Ad
Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican from Georgia, has launched a new campaign ad targeting Senate candidate Jon Ossoff, focusing on the Democratic senator’s opposition to a controversial bill that would bar transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. The ad, titled ‘Ossoff Fan,’ features a transgender woman criticizing Ossoff’s policies and his alleged alignment with former President Donald Trump. This ad aims to frame the race as a referendum on the role of transgender individuals in sports and school athletics, a topic that has become a central issue in Republican outreach strategies.
Ossoff, a first-term Democrat, is seen as a vulnerable target by Republicans, who view his Senate seat as a key flip opportunity in the 2026 midterm elections. The ad is part of a broader GOP strategy to leverage debates over transgender inclusion as a means to mobilize voters. Carter’s ad, which includes a transgender woman expressing her concerns about Ossoff’s stance, aims to highlight the perceived unfairness of the Senate’s rejection of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This measure, supported by an executive order from Trump, seeks to ban biological males from competing in women’s sports under federal funding.
Ossoff, who was the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Georgia in nearly two decades, has been a target for Republicans in the 2026 midterm cycle. His position against the bill, which was initially passed by the House but then blocked by the Senate, has made him a focal point for Republican attacks. The Carter campaign’s ad is one of several efforts by the GOP to challenge Ossoff’s leadership in the Senate. One Nation, a nonprofit advocacy group aligned with Senate Republican leadership, previously ran an ad accusing Ossoff of ‘running point for the radical left’ on the issue.
The ad’s portrayal of Ossoff as a Trump loyalist has been a key strategy for the GOP, which is trying to connect his policies to the broader conservative movement. However, Ossoff’s campaign has defended his stance, arguing that the bill would lead to invasive federal investigations of students’ bodies. Ellie Dougherty, the communications director for Ossoff’s campaign, warned that the measure would place an unnecessary burden on schools and families. She emphasized that parents should not have to go through federal bureaucracy to confirm their children’s gender identities.
The ad comes as the midterms approach, with both parties vying to solidify their bases and gain an edge in key races. The debate over transgender inclusion in sports is one of the major issues shaping the political landscape, with Republicans seeking to use it as a rallying point for their base. This race in Georgia is being closely watched as a potential turning point for the GOP’s efforts to expand its majority in the Senate, making it a significant event in the 2026 election cycle.