Exclusive: Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton suggests he has more support from House Democrats than publicly known after speaking out about his party's response to internal dissent did.
Moulton sparked an ongoing firestorm after making comments to the New York Times expressing concerns about transgender student-athletes playing alongside biological women. He said most Democrats are afraid to express similar views for fear of retaliation.
Progressives at the local, state and federal level condemned the remarks, including House Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington), who called the remarks “offensive” on CNN.
“I understand that people have different opinions and points of view, and that's all I'm saying. The comments were not meant to be offensive, but we…are happy to discuss… And that's exactly what I'm willing to do,'' Moulton told FOX News Digital on Thursday.
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Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton has faced increasing backlash for his comments about trans student athletes. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
“While a small number, a handful, maybe just a few, have spoken out against this comment, there are many more who have personally come to me and expressed their gratitude.”
His initial comments have since been repeated many times, and Democrats in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, have threatened to field a challenger to him in 2026.
“This is a democracy. If you want to run against me, go for it,” Moulton told Fox News Digital about the threat, but added that it “doesn't really help you win elections.”
“What we have to do is defeat the Republicans, not our fellow Democrats.”
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Democrats are soul-searching after Vice President Kamala Harris and other leftists lost heavily to Republicans on Election Day. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
The party has been searching for itself in recent days since the party's disastrous performance in the presidential, Senate and House elections.
Moderates like Mr. Moulton and Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York have argued that Democrats are disproportionately appealing to far-left constituencies at the expense of engaging with a broader range of everyday Americans and their issues. They are accusing them of pandering.
Moulton argued that Democratic policies are better than Republican policies for these Americans, but suggested the left has a messaging problem because they're “preaching too much and listening too much.” did.
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Congressman Ritchie Torres is another moderate who speaks out on the far left. (Noam Garay/Getty Images)
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“People think this is exactly the kind of discussion we need, and it's not just about transgender issues, it's also about the economy. “Why are we so out of touch with the American people on the economy when it's planned?” Prices…We're the ones who proposed a bipartisan immigration deal, so why are we so out of touch on immigration? Or? ” Moulton said.
“Democrats seem to have a lot of good solutions for working Americans, yet we're really out of touch. So we have to ask ourselves, why are so many people across America working? Have you lost contact with him?”
