The American Principles Project has displayed that they have none. The Washington conservative think tank, fearful of losing the race between Danica Roem (D) and Robert G. Marshall (R) in Prince William County has decided that it needs to attack Roem on her gender identity.
A robo call has been rolled out:
Danica Roem supports policy that requires schools to allow boys to play on girls’ sports teams and compete in girls’ leagues,” said a recorded voice in a telephone poll that reached 500 voters in the 13th District, according to a script provided by the group Wednesday. “Does this make you more or less likely to support Danica?
Believe it or not that is a step above Marshall's behavior. The incumbent refuses to refer to Roem by her name and references her only with male pronouns.
Terry Schilling of American Principles said his group sees the Nov. 7 House of Delegates election as part of a larger cultural battle to keep children in schools from being taught what it means to be transgender or made to share bathrooms and locker rooms with students whose gender identity differs from their gender assigned at birth. “This is really about fighting against a radical agenda to force the transgender identity on children in our schools,” Schilling said.
Roem tweeted:
The anti-trans robocall in HD13 courtesy of Del. Marshall & his anti-LGBTQ allies just strengthens my resolve to soundly defeat him Nov. 7.
Lastly: It takes so much more courage to come out as trans as a kid than it does to demagogue that child as a 73-year-old politician. #NoH8
In late September, a group affiliated with former Loudoun County supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R) posted a YouTube ad that heralds Marshall’s record fighting abortion and same-sex marriage and accuses Roem of “running a bizarre ‘Elect a Transgender’ campaign.”
The telephone poll by the American Principles Project referenced that but also seemed to go beyond what Roem had said, stating that the Democrat supported teaching young children about “the possibility for them to change their gender.”
Schilling said his group stands by the characterization. “You can’t teach children about transgenderism without teaching them that they can change their gender,” he said.
What I said on the radio, about kids learning about their transgender classmates in a responsible, age-appropriate manner that’s not mandated by law . . . can at least help children understand the complexities of the world around them in an inclusive way that doesn’t harm anyone.
--Roem
Marshall has refused to appear on the same stage as Roem, so there have been no debates.