EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) is seizing on Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott’s attempt to distance herself from her past vote against a ban on biological boys playing in girls’ sports with a new ad campaign.
Nunn’s ad seeks to highlight Trone Garriott’s voting record on transgender issues just two weeks after the Democrat released her own campaign spot declaring that she opposes “letting men in women’s locker rooms.” As a state senator, Trone Garriott previously voted against legislation restricting transgender students from girls’ sports and school locker rooms based on their biological sex.
The 60-second ad, shared first with the Washington Examiner, begins by calling attention to a situation in neighboring Minnesota, where a biological boy pitched 21 innings of a girls’ softball tournament en route to a state title. The issue prompted a Title IX investigation from the Department of Education.
The spot, which will air on streaming, digital, and TV, then returns to Iowa, cutting to a young softball player.
“Sports are supposed to be about fairness and having a level playing field,” the girl says. “Common sense is a big thing that needs to play into it. We just want it to be fair and we want it to be safe. It’s incredibly disappointing to see adults not stand up for us.”
“Sarah Trone Garriott voted to let boys play in girls’ sports and go into girls’ locker rooms,” the girl continues.
Nunn, who is seeking his third term in a battleground Des Moines-area seat, is releasing the ad after Trone Garriott put out a direct-to-camera ad clarifying her stance on the issue.
“I oppose letting men in women’s locker rooms and voted to let parents, not politicians, make decisions for their kids. I approve this message because politicians have become too extreme on these issues,” Trone Garriott says in the ad.
Nunn’s campaign accused Trone Garriott of reversing her position.
“Zach Nunn is a father of five daughters. When he voted to protect girls’ sports, he was a dad standing up for his kids and every other girl in Iowa,” Nunn campaign manager Brendan Duffy told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “Sarah Trone Garriott had the same opportunity twice, and voted no both times, including against protections for girls’ sports and locker rooms. Now she’s running ads telling Iowa parents she agrees with Zach. Nobody runs away from a record they’re proud of. Trone Garriott is trying to rewrite hers because she knows Iowa voters won’t like what they see.”
Her spot also drew the attention of Riley Gaines, a prominent activist against the inclusion of biological men in women’s sports.
“In 2023 she voted AGAINST legislation that prohibited men from accessing women’s locker rooms. Anything to say about your voting record, @SarahforIowa?” Gaines posted to social media.
The Trone Garriott campaign pushed back against the criticism, telling the Washington Examiner in a statement, “Sarah believes that parents, not politicians, should make choices for their kids. Sarah does not want men in women’s locker rooms. As a parent, there is nothing more important to Sarah than the safety of our children, which is why she will always stand up for parents’ rights to decide what is best for their kids.”
“This didn’t happen in Iowa; this ad is about Minnesota,” said campaign spokesman Zach Schenkman.
In 2022, while a state senator, Nunn voted to support a bill banning biological boys from playing in girls’ sports, which is highlighted in the ad. Trone Garriott voted against it on the same roll call.
That bill, signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) in 2022, requires athletes to compete on teams based on their biological sex.
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A year later, Trone Garriott voted against legislation requiring students to use school bathrooms and changing areas corresponding with their biological sex. Reynolds also signed that measure into law.
Nunn won the swing district by 4 points in 2024 after eking out a 2,000-vote win in 2022. President Donald Trump carried the seat by a similar 4-point margin in 2024.