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This condensed transcript is a summarized version of the original podcast episode and is intended for informational purposes only. It may omit portions of the full conversation for clarity and brevity. For the complete discussion, please refer to the full podcast recording.
Tracy Ellis:
It’s the Elephant in the Dome, the official podcast of the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus. I’m Tracy Ellis with Senate Republican Leader John Braun. You just had a commentary in the Centralia Chronicle, and the question was: Should biological boys play in girls’ high school sports? A recent poll asked that question, and 84% actually voted no. Why did you tackle that topic, and can you tell us a little more about the poll? Why do you think the vast majority of people answered no?
Sen. John Braun:
I think it’s just a common-sense fairness issue for most folks. You don’t have to be a physician to understand that boys and men have a biological advantage over girls and women when it comes to sporting competitions. It’s well known, and there’s not much disagreement on that topic. We’ve fought for decades to make sure girls and women have equal access to sporting events, and now this allowance for biological boys and men in girls’ and women’s sports is undermining that. People just inherently get that it’s wrong.
It’s a complicated topic, and for me, it’s very frustrating. It deserves attention and thoughtful discussion. But what we get from the other side—the 16% or so who disagree—isn’t a logical counterargument. They just call people names. You’re “anti-trans” or “anti-LGBTQ” because you want your daughter to be able to compete fairly in sports.
My wife and I raised three girls. They were all involved in different sports, and they wouldn’t have gotten the same fulfillment and growth if they’d been forced to compete against biological boys.
Tracy Ellis:
What is the state law regarding this now, and how would you like to see it changed?
Sen. John Braun:
Under current state law, the association that runs high school sports—the WIAA—can make a decision on this. They almost did, but they backed off. They could have chosen to keep girls’ and women’s sports safe, fair, and competitive. But they chickened out.
Last session, Democratic majorities tried to pass a law that would prevent the WIAA from making that choice. We were able to stop it. But there’s a small minority of very progressive folks in the majority caucus who want to champion this as a social issue. They’re in a deep minority with regard to public opinion, but they think by calling folks names and using political power, they can make this unfair situation permanent.
I don’t think that’s right. We should pass a law to do the opposite—to prohibit biological boys and men from participating in women’s sports. At the very least, we should let the WIAA respond to parents and school districts and make it safe for girls.
Tracy Ellis:
There are also some lawsuits regarding this, aren’t there?
Sen. John Braun:
Yes, several across the state. In some cases, districts have allowed boys to participate in girls’ sports, and there’s litigation—sometimes between parents. But more pressing is the federal government weighing in and enforcing Title IX rules around fairness for girls and women in sports. The courts will have to sort that out, but I think it’s entirely appropriate for folks to weigh in and resolve this in a thoughtful way that brings fairness and safety to girls’ sports and complies with federal and state law.
Tracy Ellis:
In other news, Kroger—the company that runs Fred Meyer and QFC—has announced several store closures in Washington. People are concerned about food deserts, places without grocery stores. Kroger says it’s due to the regulatory environment and shoplifting. Do you think they have a point?
Sen. John Braun:
I think we should listen to them closely. I’m not saying Kroger or other large stores are perfect, but they deliver food for the vast majority of our population. They don’t close stores for fun. They’re in the business of having more stores, not fewer. So when they say they’re closing a store because they can’t make ends meet due to regulations and taxes in Washington, we should take that seriously.
We’ve made some progress on public safety, like changing the pursuit law, but shoplifting is still a big drag. It’s expensive to operate stores here, and it’s a big deal for communities. Food deserts are real—especially in parts of metropolitan Washington. And having more stores helps with affordability. In my community, a new grocery store opened recently, and it made a big difference in food prices. Competition drives prices down, and affordability is a top issue for people across the state.
Tracy Ellis:
What do you make of their comments about the regulatory environment?
Sen. John Braun:
I think they’re referring to labor laws. Washington has some of the most complicated and expensive labor laws in the country. Grocery stores operate on razor-thin margins—1 to 3%. When you add significant new regulations, even if well-intentioned, it adds cost and makes it harder to stay in business. That leads to store closures, which impacts the communities around them.
Tracy Ellis:
I saw a report about public lands suffering from neglect—overflowing toilets, trash piles, popular hiking destinations. Is there anything the legislature can do?
Sen. John Braun:
Some of it’s managed by state agencies like Parks, Fish and Wildlife, or DNR. We have challenges there. Agencies aren’t performing well, and they often say it’s a lack of money. Maybe that’s part of it, but some of it is just showing up and doing the work. Since the pandemic, there’s concern we’re not getting the public service we expect and pay for.
A bigger issue is federal lands. There’s been less harvesting, which means less revenue to maintain roads, trails, and trailheads. That’s what folks are seeing—poor access, trash, no facilities. It’s a broad problem with different sources, but we should pay attention. We live in a beautiful state, and we should take care of it.
Tracy Ellis:
Harvesting on federal and state lands seems to be down. Do you think we’re harvesting enough trees? If not, what can we do?
Sen. John Braun:
It’s super important. I’m not pleased with the direction the new Lands Commissioner is going. He seems to be pushing back on harvesting. If you look at private forest lands, especially in southwest Washington, they’re incredibly well taken care of—roads, stream crossings, riparian areas, wildlife preservation. Then you look at state lands and wonder why they’re not as well managed.
We’ve significantly reduced harvesting on state lands. That money goes to school districts and counties, supporting public services—especially in rural communities. It also helps prevent forest fires. We’ve had a lot of fires recently, especially on the east side, and that’s a direct result of delaying harvesting.
Harvesting, when done well, is good. Washington has some of the most stringent environmental rules in the country—maybe the world. We protect the environment while supporting an important industry, providing materials for housing, and creating jobs.
Tracy Ellis:
People are worried about protecting parks and old-growth forests. Would the harvesting you’re talking about affect those areas?
Sen. John Braun:
No. The most treasured parts of our state are already well protected—within federal or state parks, Fish and Wildlife lands, and other restricted areas. There are lands set aside specifically for timber production, and we need to harvest them at a sustainable rate. We already have good rules to protect water quality and salmon habitat. Private lands show great outcomes under strict rules, and we could do better on state and federal lands. We can harvest sustainably and still protect the most beloved parts of our state.
Tracy Ellis:
That’s Senate Republican Leader John Braun. I’m Tracy Ellis. This is Elephant in the Dome, the official podcast of the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus.