Comments Sparks Controversy in Iowa House Race

A Democratic lawmaker aiming to capture one of the nation’s most contentious House seats has labeled the state a “backwater.” This remark came in response to recent Republican attempts to limit transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports, as revealed in footage obtained by Fox News Digital.

Christina Bohanan, a candidate for the House, voiced her opinion at a legislative forum in 2021 while opposing a GOP-backed measure that sought to prohibit biological males from joining women’s sports teams. Her comments might offer more ammunition for Republicans, especially as they prepare for a rematch against Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) in 2024, a race that, interestingly enough, President Donald Trump previously won by more than 8 points.

“They’re introducing these bills and making statements that seem to push their agenda,” Bohanan, who previously served in Congress, remarked about her Republican counterparts. “I think that kind of rhetoric is harmful; it gives a negative impression of our state and makes it seem like a backwater.”

In 2022, Iowa, led by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, instituted a ban on transgender athletes. Bohanan’s comments reflect an ongoing theme of criticizing Iowa for turning away from progressive policies, as seen when she previously claimed the state would look “backward” if a 2021 bill banning diversity, equity, and inclusion training in schools passed. Reynolds eventually signed that bill.

“Such a move would send a harmful message about Iowa’s understanding of systemic racism,” she shared during a podcast, “Under the Dome,” in 2021.

Bohanan has also served as the chair of the diversity committee at the University of Iowa School of Law, where she encouraged support for the Black Lives Matter movement. This role involved urging students to contribute financially to various activist funds, which some have criticized for backing movements to defund the police.

In the 2024 election, Bohanan lost to Miller-Meeks by a narrow margin of fewer than 800 votes, marking it as one of the tightest House races in the country. She had also previously contested for this seat in 2022.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has categorized the upcoming race as a “toss up.” Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has strongly criticized Bohanan’s remarks, suggesting they insult Iowans who advocate for women’s sports rights.

“Liberal Christina Bohanan not only opposed protecting women’s sports, but she also mocked the Iowans who advocate for women and girls,” NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle stated.

Bohanan’s remarks come amid a broader conversation within the Democratic Party as opinions on transgender issues remain divided. Recent polls indicate considerable support for restricting women’s sports to biological women, with a 2025 survey revealing that nearly 80% of Americans, including about 70% of Democrats or those leaning Democratic, are against biological males competing in women’s sports.

In June, Miller-Meeks expressed her support for a Supreme Court decision that upheld state-level prohibitions on biological males participating in women’s sports. Bohanan has yet to make a public comment regarding this ruling.