“Months after California Gov. Gavin Newsom told a conservative podcast it’s ‘deeply unfair’ for transgender athletes to compete in women and girls’ sports, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz took the stage at the Democratic Party’s annual state convention in Newsom’s home state to let his party know he thinks the opposite.”

“‘I’m just going to say it, shame on any of us who throws a trans child under the bus for thinking they’re going to get elected,’ the 2024 vice presidential nominee said Saturday. ‘That child deserves our support. Don’t worry about the pollsters calling it distractions, because we need to be the party of human dignity.’”

“Walz is doubling down on trans rights — and criticizing members of his party who are retreating — at a time when the issue has become a political lightning rod nationally and back home in Minnesota.”

“Newsom, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, has been one of the few Democrats to veer from his party on the issue, while Walz could be trying to appeal to the more progressive side of the party on this issue as he continues to mull his future, University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs said.”

“Walz is expected to run for a third term as governor of Minnesota and has not ruled out a bid for president in 2028.”

“‘Transgender participation in sports presents an issue for Democrats. You can see that with Gavin Newsom trying to move Democrats from a position that’s not popular with the general public,’ Jacobs said.”

“In 2015, the MSHSL’s board of directors voted to open girls’ sports to transgender student-athletes. The decision took effect for the 2015-16 school year and made Minnesota the 33rd state to adopt a formal transgender student policy.”

“The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) has been under investigation by the federal government as a result of Trump’s executive order and could risk losing federal funding.”