Ted Cruz uses unauthorized images of cisgender students in anti-transgender attack ads

Republican Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is under fire for using unauthorized images of two cisgender teenage girls in several campaign ads targeting transgender athletes.

The ads, which are part of Cruz’s multimillion-dollar re-election campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, criticize Allred for supporting policies that allow transgender athletes to compete in sports aligned with their gender identity. However, the Beaverton School District in Oregon, where one of the teens whose image appears in the ads attends school, has demanded Cruz’s campaign take down the ads.

Related: Voters actually hate ‘mean-spirited’ anti-transgender political ads like Trump’s: survey

“The family nor the school or school district ever gave permission for this photo to be used,” a representative from the Beaverton School District said in an email shared with The Hill. “It is alarming that your campaign would have produced/distributed/promoted this ad with false information, especially with minor children involved.” The Cruz campaign has yet to respond to this request.

According toThe Hill, the images in question appear to be taken from a news report by Central Oregon Daily News from the spring, which covered a local track meet where a transgender athlete’s participation drew mixed responses. Cruz’s ads imply that the cisgender teens pictured are transgender athletes, or what the ad calls “biological men” who are competing unfairly in women’s sports. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, however, have condemned this portrayal, calling it misleading and harmful.

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Related: Texas Dem Colin Allred uses anti-trans language to attack Ted Cruz: ‘Don’t want boys playing girls’ sports’

Cruz’s ads reflect a broader strategy observed in recent political campaigns that target transgender inclusion, especially in sports and youth policies, to galvanize conservative voters. Data for Progress recently reported that 54 percent of likely voters find political ads attacking transgender individuals “mean-spirited and out of hand,” while 41 percent of Republicans describe them as “sad and shameful.” The poll also revealed that voters prioritize issues like the economy over divisive social topics and that 74 percent of respondents believe transgender people deserve dignity and respect.