Republicans took a beating in last week’s midterm elections, but Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds was one of the party’s few bright spots. And on Sunday, he celebrated the win in Florida’s gubernatorial race with one of the conservative movement’s favorite athletes.
Donalds was spotted at the NASCAR race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, where he posed for a photo with Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. In his post, Donalds praised Cunningham for “speaking up,” in what appeared to be a nod to her comments on transgender athletes.
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Cunningham sparked one of the biggest controversies of the WNBA season when an ESPN profile published her comments on transgender athletes in women’s sports in July. She said she wanted to protect “young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” which led to rallies in her support and even a statement from the White House.
Cunningham, who has been dubbed “MAGA Barbie” by some fans, has insisted that her political views are “right in the middle” despite those comments. “I’m very much in the middle. I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume,” she told ESPN.
Cunningham previously had made similar comments to the New York Times.
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“All I have to say is I really am right in the middle, and I think a lot of America is like that,” Cunningham said, via The New York Times.
But when asked about her trans comments, she doubled down, calling them “common sense.”
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense. And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said,” she said.
Since the ESPN profile, Cunningham has become a favorite of conservative media and Republican politicians, and President Donald Trump even gave her a shoutout during a rally in Ohio, calling her “beautiful.” After Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate in the midterms, Fox News couldn’t stop talking about Cunningham instead of the GOP’s losses.
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Cunningham also shared a message after the election, and she drew criticism for sharing a post from Andy Frisella on Instagram that emphasized self-improvement over faith in elections.
Donalds, meanwhile, defeated David Jolly in Florida’s governor’s race to succeed Ron DeSantis, keeping the governor’s office in Republican hands.
On Sunday, Donalds and his family attended the NASCAR race in South Florida, where they ran into Cunningham and posed for a photo. Donalds shared the photo on Instagram along with a message for the Fever guard.
“Keep speaking up, Sophie. The truth ALWAYS wins in the end,” Donalds wrote, via OutKick.
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Donalds didn’t specify what he was referring to, but given Cunningham’s outspoken comments on transgender athletes, it’s not hard to guess.
Cunningham may insist she’s in the middle, but she continues to be a favorite with the GOP.
The post ‘The truth ALWAYS wins in the end’: Top Republican tells Sophie Cunningham to ‘keep speaking up’ appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
