Democratic Senate candidate Doug Jones expressed support for controversial Obama-era policies requiring transgender access for school bathrooms and locker rooms, in a video released Monday.
"We’ve got to protect them," Jones said when asked about transgender people using school bathrooms and locker rooms. Jones also attacked the Trump administration for rescinding the policy, under the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions: "They were wrong to get rid of those Title IX Rules, you know," Jones said. Alabama was among a group of states that sued the Obama administration over the directive.
Jones also criticized President Donald Trump's decision to reverse the Obama administration's plan to open the military to transgender troops: "They were wrong to ban transgender [people] from the military. Just wrong, wrong, wrong," Jones said. While Jones's stand is certain to be applauded in liberal quarters, political observers believe it could hurt his ability to make inroads among other Alabama voters.
The video was released by Dean Young, a supporter of the Republican nominee, Judge Roy Moore.