Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) is turning up the heat on Georgia’s Democratic Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, urging them to cross party lines and support the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as it heads for a Senate vote.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) greenlit the bill’s floor action Wednesday, teeing up a showdown that could hinge on a handful of Democratic defections.
The bill, which sailed through the House in January with a 219-206 vote split largely by party, bans biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s scholastic sports. With every GOP senator expected to back it, seven Democratic votes are the magic number to clear the Senate’s 60-vote hurdle and send it to President Donald Trump’s desk. Carter’s calling on his state’s senators to make it happen.
READ: Secretary Of State Marco Rubio Slams Thailand For Shipping Uyghurs Back To China’s Clutches
“@HouseGOP has passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, ensuring that women and girls have fair opportunities to achieve excellence in athletics. I hope GA Senators Ossoff & Warnock have the sense to do the same,” Carter posted on X in January.
Georgia’s appetite for the measure looks robust. A January Tyson Group poll found 73% of 600 likely voters want biological males barred from girls’ sports.
Nationally, a New York Times-Ipsos survey from early January pegged opposition at 80%—with nearly 70% of Democrats or lean-Democrats agreeing. The numbers suggest a rare bipartisan pulse, especially in a state Trump dominated in 2024, trouncing Kamala Harris by over 100,000 votes.
READ: Jeffrey Epstein Files Set To Drop: AG Bondi Promises Flight Logs And Names Thursday
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), the bill’s sponsor, has been pounding the pavement to get it to the floor and for Ossoff, already eyed as a shaky incumbent in his 2026 reelection bid, the pressure’s on—buck Georgia’s tide, and he could face a GOP buzzsaw in a red-trending state.
The House vote saw 206 Democrats—including most of Georgia’s delegation—say no, but Carter’s betting Senate dynamics shift with public sentiment. If Ossoff and Warnock balk, it could fuel GOP attacks; if they flip, they’d hand Trump a win on a culture-war flashpoint. Either way, the clock’s ticking, and Georgia’s senators are in the hot seat.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.