Republicans are betting big that culture war issues including transgender athletes could decide the election

Republicans are going all-in against transgender issues ahead of the November 5 election, betting big bucks that voters will be energized by the culture war fight.

With just 14 days to go to Election Day, the GOP has put tens of millions of dollars behind ads slamming Democrats for supporting pro-trans policies. 

According to AdImpact, Republicans have dolled out close to $70 million on this effort in congressional ads alone. 

Theyre betting big that this niche issue will fire up the voter base and help Republicans in down-ballot races. 

That includes the extremely tight race for control of the House, apart by only four seats currently, and the Senate - that the GOP wants to flip red. 

Former President Donald Trump has brought up transgender-related issues at multiple campaign events including rallies and town halls

Crazy liberal Kamala is for they/them, one of these ads eerily warns. President Trump is for you.

In a competitive House district in Michigan, incumbent Republican Rep. John James is attempting to stave defeat by campaigning on the culture war of trans sex changes for kids.  

One ad slams his opponent, Carl Marlinga, for being backed by extremist groups who want to allow school officials to medicate students so they can change gender and hide it from their parents. 

In that states Senate race, Republican candidate Mike Rogers has been similarly slamming his opponent Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkins positions on trans athletes.

She voted to allow biological males in womens sports, men in womens locker rooms, Rogers told PunchBowl News recently.  

Democrats, on the other hand have, not been focusing on the issue and have spent relatively little comparatively to fend off the trans-related attack ads. 

But Trump has been hammering home at almost every venue at which he speaks. 

The television ad above run by MAGA Inc. includes a line that Crazy liberal Kamala is for they/them while President Trump is for you. Roughly $70 million has been spent on trans-related ads in congressional races and at least $21 million in the presidential race, according to AdImpact

Another portion of the same ad highlights past remarks by Kamala Harris where she talks about providing transgender surgeries to inmates 

Talking at a barber shop in The Bronx neighborhood of New York last week, Donald Trump told a father his plan to fix schools will involve trans policies.  

No transgender. No operations. You know, they take your kid. There are some places - your boy leaves for school and comes back a girl, the ex-president said. 

Its true, he told the barbershop. Without parental consent! 

Also last week he told an all-female crowd at a Fox News town hall that he would just ban it when a grandmother asked about the transgender issue in sports. 

Since transgender swimmer Lia Thomas captured headlines for competing against men in the 2019-2020 NCAA season before transitioning and later competing against women in 2021-2022, trans issues in sports have been a focal point of the  Republican agenda. 

Donald Trump told a woman during a Fox News town hall that his plan to deal with the transgender issue in womens sports is to just ban it 

University of Pennsylvania transgender athlete Lia Thomas waits for a preliminary heat of the 500 meter freestyle at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Georgia Tech in Atlanta

Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, along with several other female swimmers, have since filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for forcing them to compete with Thomas. 

A current controversy is also unfolding in the NCAA regarding a San Jose State University volleyball player.

Just yesterday they had a volleyball match, did you see that? Where a person that transitioned, we have to be very careful because this can terminate your political career if you say it slightly off, but transitioned from man to female Trump said at the Fox town hall. 

The former president was seemingly referencing Blaire Fleming, a San Jose Sate University (SJSU) volleyball player. 

Fleming, a redshirt senior, has been cited as the reason four schools have forfeited matches against SJSU so far this season because of safety concerns. 

Fleming (pictured) a redshirt senior in their third season on San Jose States roster, is at the center of a class-action lawsuit filed against the NCAA after it was alleged they are a biological male

Teams are cancelling games against San Jose State because of Blaire Fleming

Most recently they went viral for spiking a ball and hitting another player forcefully in the face. Even the broadcaster noted the womans pink face after she was hit. 

Whether the culture war trans ads will push voters towards the GOP or from it is a big gamble for the party. 

Most polls this cycle did not rank trans issues among the most pressing for voters. 

Instead, the economy, immigration and abortion all regularly ranked among the most pressing issues.