Democratic campaign operatives are urging candidates to respond more directly to Republican attacks on transgender rights in the run-up to the November midterm elections, while quickly steering voters back to issues such as inflation, gas prices and the cost of living. The guidance reflects concerns that Democrats’ decision to largely avoid the subject in 2024 allowed Republicans to define the debate. Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president at the center-left think tank Third Way, said candidates should not remain silent. “Silence is deadly on these issues and that’s the playbook we tried in 2024,” Erickson said. Her advice is to state a clear position, then move on. Erickson said Democrats should support “fair rules in sports made by sports associations” and maintain that parents should lead decisions about their children’s health care. Republicans offered a preview of their midterm strategy this week at the party’s convention in Dallas, where many top officials highlighted claims that Democrats support transgender athletes competing in women’s sports and gender-affirming care for children. Speakers who emphasized the issue included President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and congressional campaign leaders Tim Scott and Richard Hudson. Trump has described anti-transgender messaging as an effective late-campaign tactic, saying Wednesday that he was raising it earlier than he would prefer because it is “one of our great soundbites of all time.” Republican-aligned groups are also spending heavily on the issue. America PAC, the super PAC associated with Elon Musk, launched digital advertisements in states with competitive Senate races, including Texas and Iowa, criticizing Democrats’ past positions on transgender rights. The strategy builds on spending from the 2024 campaign, when Republicans put more than $110 million into advertisements focused on transgender issues, according to the figures cited by campaign analysts. Trump also spent more on ads criticizing transgender rights than on any other subject during the final stretch of that election. Ross Hemminger, president of Log Cabin Republicans, called the approach a “winning message” that could motivate voters who do not consistently participate in elections. Democratic strategist Matt Angle of Texas said candidates should respond with the kind of disciplined message used by James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in that state. Talarico said in a Fox News interview Wednesday that he would oppose transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports when he believes participation threatens safety or fairness. Angle said Talarico should continue emphasizing economic concerns rather than allowing Republicans to define the campaign around gender identity. Republicans, Angle argued, are trying to divert attention from what he called their “profound failure,” while Talarico is focused on gas prices and the cost of making a living. The debate places Democratic candidates in a difficult political and ethical position. They face pressure to address concerns about sports and medical care without adopting broad restrictions that advocates say would harm transgender young people and families. Republicans, meanwhile, are treating the issue as a turnout tool for conservative voters as control of Congress approaches its November test. For Democrats, the emerging playbook is neither silence nor a prolonged fight over Republican framing: answer clearly, defend fairness and parental decision-making, and return the conversation to the financial pressures affecting voters’ daily lives.