As the midterms approach, the Christopher Street Project is pushing a new electoral strategy: proving that Democrats can win without distancing themselves from transgender rights.
Tyler Hack remembers the isolation of the 2024 campaign trail. As the founder of the Christopher Street Project—the nation’s only political action group dedicated exclusively to electing pro-trans candidates—she often found herself the only transgender person in rooms filled with Democratic members of Congress.
She watched as the party’s messaging faltered. with many candidates distancing themselves from trans issues or. in some cases. actively joining the attacks. “Democrats threw trans people under the bus for the election loss not because of Republican millionaires or because of corporations ripping us off. but because of trans kids. ” Hack says. “We knew that we couldn’t wait for political power.”.
The organization’s objective is clear: train candidates on committed, effective pro-trans messaging and hold politicians accountable. They have already backed notable figures, including New York’s Brad Lander and Claire Valdez, Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan, and Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed.
Last month, the project claimed a significant victory in Massachusetts. Senator Ed Markey defeated Representative Seth Moulton in the Democratic primary. a race that became a crucible for the party’s direction. Just 48 hours after the 2024 general election. Moulton had publicly criticized transgender athletes in women’s sports. stating. “I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete. but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”.
Hack campaigned for Markey throughout September, helping him frame the election as a referendum on those comments. Markey appeared at events wearing a trans flag around his neck. while Moulton ultimately faced public backlash. including being booed at a public event. “He wanted a promotion, and he got fired,” Hack says of Moulton. “Trans rights was the issue for this election.”.
For the upcoming midterms, the stakes extend beyond individual races. Hack views the current political landscape as a product of electoral defeat. where Republicans spend millions on anti-trans ads to distract from broader economic concerns. She points to a 2016 North Carolina bathroom ban that ultimately became a political liability for the incumbent Republican governor. noting that the intensity of current anti-trans rhetoric is a strategic choice. not a permanent value.
The path forward, according to the Christopher Street Project, is to broaden the coalition of pro-trans representatives. Their first endorsement was Adelita Grijalva in Arizona’s seventh district; she ran against two queer candidates but ultimately had the strongest record of delivering for marginalized youth. Hack argues that a pro-trans Congress will include people of all backgrounds—some who are queer. some with trans family members. and others who simply recognize the moral imperative to fight for inclusive democracy.
Looking toward the midterms, the group is focused on a handful of pivotal candidates. In Minnesota, they are supporting Peggy Flanagan for the U.S. Senate and Matt Little for the U.S. House in the second district. In Michigan, they are backing Abdul El-Sayed for the U.S. Senate and Will Lawrence for the U.S. House in the seventh district.
For Hack, the goal is to build a successful playbook for 2028. She believes these upcoming races serve as a test to prove that Democrats can win in competitive seats without capitulating to pressure or leaving any community behind.
Tyler Hack Christopher Street Project trans rights Ed Markey Seth Moulton 2026 midterms Democratic Party politics