“Our endorsement is more than a name on a campaign website or a line in a voters’ pamphlet. It represents our trust that a candidate will stand with LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians — including when doing so is difficult, unpopular, or politically inconvenient,” said Kyndall Mason, Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon PAC. “Based on information we learned after making our original endorsement, we no longer believe Julia Brim-Edwards meets that standard.”

Basic Rights Oregon’s PAC board learned that during private Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board meetings, Brim-Edwards raised concerns that trans athletes might hurt scholarship opportunities for other kids, a false claim that mirrors language used by Trump and his allies. Brim-Edwards also encouraged PPS to consider stricter guidelines for trans athletes to participate in sports, contrary to state guidelines.