Riley Gaines endorsed Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s re-election campaign, appearing in a new ad that highlights Blackburn’s commitment to protecting women’s sports.
Gaines, a prominent advocate for female athletes since competing agaainst transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, criticized the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports, asserting that “men do not belong in women’s sports.”
“In Tennessee, we know the difference between a man and a woman, and we know that men do not belong in women’s sports,” Gaines said.
“As a fearless advocate for female athletes, Senator Blackburn will continue to ensure they are recognized for their accomplishments and protected from the left’s woke identity crisis. I’m on Team Marsha because future generations of girls depend on us to preserve the equality that generations before us fought so hard to achieve.”
In the advertisement, she describes her personal experiences with “woke politics” in athletics and praises Blackburn for her staunch defense of traditional values and female athletes.
“I trained my entire life to be the best,” Gaines says in the ad. “I was one of the fastest women in the entire country. But woke politics made me swim against a man, sharing the pool and the locker room. That’s not just dangerous; it’s degrading.
“Thank God for Marsha Blackburn. No one fights harder to protect us. Marsha Blackburn will always stand for strong women because she’s one of us.”
Gaines expressed pride in Blackburn’s political stance and dedication to women’s rights, as Blackburn prepares for the Republican primary against Tres Wittum, with a Democratic primary featuring multiple candidates.
“Senator Blackburn has been a fierce defender of common sense, traditional values, and women,” Gaines said. “Few are as morally sound and unapologetic as she is. She makes me proud to be a Tennessean.”
