Fox News Digital unearthed footage of Iowa Democratic congressional candidate Christina Bohannan describing her state as a "backwater" in 2021 while she opposed legislation that would bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. Bohannan is seeking to flip a competitive US House seat, and the resurfaced remarks are likely to be used against her by Republicans as she campaigns in a state that has since enacted the very restrictions she opposed.

Bohannan made the comments during a 2021 legislative forum, warning that Iowa would become a "backwater" if lawmakers went ahead with the ban. Iowa subsequently enacted the transgender athletes ban in 2022, and the issue remains politically charged heading into the midterm elections, with such laws polling well among broader segments of the electorate.