In a recent interview, former Navy Captain Bale Dalton, the Democratic challenger to Republican Ryan Elijah for Florida's 7th congressional district, has seemingly backed allowing minors to receive transgender surgeries.
The Video
During an appearance on WKMG 6 discussing the midterms, Dalton was asked if he supported "gender-affirming medical care for minors under the age of 18."
"I think this is always going to be a discussion that families should have, that parents need to be having with their children and with their doctors," Dalton replied, adding, "And frankly I'll just leave it at that because I don't think the federal government has any business talking about the medical care that families determine they need for their kids."
In early August, the Friends of Byron Donalds political action committee (PAC) put out an ad attacking Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly for his stance on transgender surgeries for minors, playing a clip in which Jolly said, "We embraced it... the medical pathways, the gender affirming care."
The ad also highlighted Jolly saying, "It can be supportive of them to allow [transgender individuals] to play in youth sports."
The 7th District Race
Dalton won the Democratic primary in August with 45.6% of the vote, beating out Marialana Kinter and Alan Grayson.
He is part of the Party's "Take Back Florida Distinction" initiative, aiming to flip red seats back to blue in November through grassroots funding and organizing.
"This is our strongest bench of flip opportunities yet," said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried, adding, "These candidates are knocking doors, making calls, and talking directly with voters about the issues that matter most to their lives. They're proof that no seat is out of reach when you show up and do the work, and this November, we're going to flip these seats blue."
Dalton's Republican opponent, Ryan Elijah, meanwhile, eventually defeated the incumbent Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) with 46.9% of the vote in a hard-fought battle.
