2 Democrats Side With Republicans

In a significant move on Tuesday, Representatives Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar, both from Texas, made headlines by breaking ranks with the majority of their party to join Republicans in passing a bill designed to protect women’s sports from the intrusion of transgender athletes. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act aims to amend Title IX—the federal law that mandates equal opportunity for women in education and athletics—by ensuring that only biological females are allowed to compete in women’s sports. This legislation seeks to preserve fairness in athletic competition by establishing that “sex” is defined solely by one’s biological and genetic makeup at birth.

The bill passed the House with a 218-206 vote, with Gonzalez and Cuellar casting their votes alongside Republicans in favor of the measure. While a handful of Republicans and Democrats abstained from voting, the overwhelming majority of those in favor of the bill represented a united front for protecting women’s sports from the growing trend of allowing transgender females to compete against biological women.

Gonzalez, a moderate Democrat who won a narrow reelection in 2022, expressed his support for the bill, arguing that “there should be rules to keep our sports fair” and that “boys should not play in girls’ sports.” He also stressed that lawmakers should have the courage to represent their districts, even if their stance goes against party lines. “As Democrats, we should not be afraid to vote our district’s values because we’re afraid of Washington,” Gonzalez declared.

Cuellar, who had voted against a similar bill in 2023, explained his decision to support the bill this time around by pointing to the feedback he received from his South Texas constituents. Despite his liberal stance on some issues, Cuellar has consistently broken with party leadership on matters such as transgender rights and abortion policy, notably voting for a Republican-backed defense bill in 2023 that would restrict gender-affirming healthcare for transgender service members.

Both Gonzalez and Cuellar’s votes signal a shift in how some Democrats are aligning themselves with the growing Republican stance on issues like protecting women’s sports. The outcome highlights the deepening divide within the Democratic Party, particularly among moderates who are increasingly attuned to the concerns of their conservative-leaning constituencies. It also underscores the importance of taking a principled stand, even if it means defying party pressure, to ensure the integrity of women’s sports is preserved for future generations.