What did the Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus say about Amy Acton’s trans sports comments?
In July 2026, the Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus, an official advisory caucus of the Ohio Democratic Party, issued a statement saying its members were less ready to doorknock for Amy Acton after her comments on transgender youth in sports. The statement also said the caucus remained ready to work with her. It was posted to the caucus’s Facebook page and later removed. Signal Ohio reporter Andrew Tobias noted the removal on July 9, 2026, and Signal Akron and The Daily Signal reported both the statement’s publication and its removal.
Full Text of the Statement
Regarding Amy Acton’s recent statement on trans youth in sports:
We amplify the voices of our progressive members across Ohio. Our members have rightfully had a range of reactions to the recent statement, so our collective response is likewise varied, however:
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.
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.
Simultaneously, our progressive members were more ready to doorknock for her than they are today in light of her recent statement. Not out of malice, but out of the bad feeling in our chests.
Any one of us could have warned her of that natural consequence if any one of us had been in the room with her. Despite our disagreement on this issue, we remain ready to work 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. We hope she will allow us to provide our missing piece of that picture as she goes forward.
Context
What Amy Acton said. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 30, 2026 ruling upholding state bans on transgender girls in school sports, Amy Acton told the Toledo Blade, “I do not support boys playing in girls’ sports.” She added that the issue is settled law in Ohio and that, as governor, she would uphold and enforce it. According to LGBTQ Nation, citing the Toledo Blade.
The caucus response. The Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus issued the statement above in early July 2026. According to The Daily Signal, the statement was published on or about July 8, 2026.
Removal of the statement. The statement was later removed from the caucus’s Facebook page. On July 9, 2026, Signal Ohio reporter Andrew Tobias noted on X that the statement appeared to have been taken down. According to Erin in the Morning, the caucus later said it removed the statement because it had been posted without going through the Ohio Democratic Party’s official approval process for internal caucuses.
The Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus is unhappy with Amy Acton over a statement she recently saying she does not support "boys playing in girls sports," and calling the issue settled law in Ohio. The group says that statement will cost her votes and volunteers. https://t.co/FO93B0WN09
— Andrew Tobias (@AndrewJTobias) July 9, 2026
Yes. It is an official advisory caucus of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Source: Signal Akron
https://signalakron.org/top-ohio-democrats-retreat-on-transgender-issues-leaving-some-transgender-activists-feeling-abandoned/
On or about July 8, 2026.
Source: The Daily Signal
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/07/13/democrats-disarray-womens-sports/
Signal Ohio reporter Andrew Tobias noted on X on July 9, 2026 that the statement appeared to have been taken down.
Source: Andrew Tobias (X); The Daily Signal
https://x.com/AndrewJTobias/status/2075210847794729378
The caucus said it had posted the statement without the party’s required approval process for internal caucuses.
Source: Erin in the Morning
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/ohio-dem-party-has-banned-criticism
No. The statement said members were less ready to doorknock for her but that the caucus remained ready to work with her.
Source: Ohio Democrats Progressive Caucus statement (reproduced above)
https://ohiopolicyupdates.com/sources/ohio-democrats-progressive-caucus-statement-acton-trans-youth-sports-july-2026
Sources & Evidence
| Claim | Source | Source URL |
|---|---|---|
| Caucus is an official state party advisory group; it issued and later deleted the statement | Signal Akron | https://signalakron.org/top-ohio-democrats-retreat-on-transgender-issues-leaving-some-transgender-activists-feeling-abandoned/ |
| Statement date; removal noted by Signal Ohio’s Andrew Tobias | The Daily Signal | https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/07/13/democrats-disarray-womens-sports/ |
| Statement’s removal publicly noted July 9, 2026 | Andrew Tobias, Signal Ohio (post on X) | https://x.com/AndrewJTobias/status/2075210847794729378 |
| Acton’s Toledo Blade quote; timing after the June 30 Supreme Court ruling | LGBTQ Nation | https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/07/dem-gov-candidate-ghosts-angry-lgbtq-supporters-after-making-a-transphobic-remark/ |
| Caucus’s explanation for removing the statement | Erin in the Morning | https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/ohio-dem-party-has-banned-criticism |