The Democratic Party has typically used Supreme Court rulings as galvanizing moments for its base, using favorable and unfavorable decisions alike to rally supporters around the country.
But that has not happened in the aftermath of the U.S. v. Skrmetti ruling, which declared that bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors are constitutional. The ruling will likely now be a precedent for bans on transgender care more broadly.
National Democrats — who have long been the party to push LGBTQ+ rights forward — have been grappling with how to handle issues around transgender people since the 2024 elections when, by their own admission, they were caught flat-footed on the topic as President Donald Trump and Republicans made opposition to trans rights a key part of their campaigns.