The two most vulnerable Democrats opposed the progress of the bill this week to prevent biological men from participating in women and girls’ sports despite general public support for such policies. Now they are justifying why they did it.
“I heard what I heard in New Hampshire and what I heard from people who are tracking, for example.
“I don’t think there’s a need for law to do that. I think we can police it through an organization,” she said.
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Ossoff and Shaheen explained why they voted with all Democrats to block a bill banning women’s sports. (Getty Images)
“This bill was an overreach,” D-Ga said. Senator John Ossoff told the Atlanta Journal Constitution in a statement.
“School Districts and Athletic Associations can ensure fair and safe competition without exposing adolescent student-athletes (children) to federal investigations,” he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ossoff’s office, but was unable to make it to be published.
In a recent New York Times/Ipsos survey, the majority of Americans said men and boys who identify as trans women and girls should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
However, in a Senate procedural vote on Monday, all vote Democrats stopped moving the protections of women and girls in the sports law to a final vote on passing.
All voting Republicans voted in favor of limiting discussions about the measure. If the bill had enough favorable votes to file it would have overcome the legislative filibuster.
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President Donald Trump will sign an executive order preventing Washington women and girls from competing in sporting events in the White House East Room on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The bill would not proceed to the final vote at this point, as the vote was only 51-45.
Among Democrats in the NYT/IPSOS polls, 67% agreed to Republicans that biological men should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports.
The bill introduced by Senator Tommy Tuberville requires Title IX to treat gender as “recognized based solely on birth reproductive biology and genetics” and does not allow it to be applied to different gender identities.
“The past week has shown whether Democrats are truly evil. All senators voted to remove the rights of women and girls everywhere,” Tuberville said in a statement.
“Senators John Ossoff and Jeanne Shaheen both care about women, but they clearly aren’t ripped over their privacy, safety or rights to fair competition. They think protecting female athletes is “over-go,” but it’s perfectly fine for women to share locker rooms and shower with a completely unharmed male.
After their vote, the National Republican Senate Committee shot the Senate’s top target. “John Ossoff may have joined the overwhelming majority of Georgians to fight for common sense and protect men from women’s sports,” NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia said in a statement. “Instead, he told his parents and their daughters he believes Democrats must play sports and share locker rooms and bathrooms with biological men.”
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Protesters will protest in favour of transgender youth rights. (Fox News)
Shaheen and Ossov were re-elected in 2026 in New Hampshire and Georgia. Ossov has been preparing for a tough Senate fight for months, but Shaheen has yet to announce whether she will run or not.
She is expected to announce her decision at some point this month, a New Hampshire source confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Shaheen is the only Senate Democrat who remains in a competitive seat that has yet to publicly reveal her reelection plan.
R-Ga. Gov. Brian Kemp is a GOP favourite to take on Ossov for the Senate seat in the Southern states, but he didn’t say whether to start bidding. He said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital, “I’m doing a lot on my plate right now.”
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Kemp has not said whether he will run for the Senate. (Elijah Nouvege/Bloomberg via Getty Images.)
“I’m in the middle of a legislative meeting. We’re continuing our battle for big tort reform. I’m chairing the Republican Governor’s Association. I’ve made a commitment to that.”
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“I know I can’t hold on forever, so there’s something we should say about it on the street,” he added.
Non-partisan political handicapper Cook’s political report rated Georgia Senate race as “throwing,” but New Hampshire seats are considered “Lean Democrats.”
Julia Johnson is a political writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business and is a major reporter in the US Senate. She was previously a political reporter for the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia’s report on X @juliaajohnson_ Submit your tip to julia.johnson@fox.com.
