Riley Gaines headlines New Richmond rally centered on school bathroom policy, congressional race
NEW RICHMOND, Wis. (WEAU) - Conservative activist Riley Gaines brought a national debate over transgender rights to western Wisconsin Wednesday night, appearing with Republican congressional candidate Michael Alfonso and members of Moms for Liberty at a town hall centered on New Richmond High School’s transgender bathroom policy.
The event, titled “Protect and Defend Our Girls,” drew supporters to Riverbend at River’s Edge as Alfonso campaigns in next Tuesday’s Republican primary for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. Alfonso has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
The town hall focused on New Richmond’s policy allowing transgender students to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity—a policy that is the subject of a federal Department of Education investigation and a pending civil lawsuit.
What Wisconsin law currently says
Supporters of the school district argue New Richmond’s policy follows existing federal law in Wisconsin.
Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, told WEAU the district is following the precedent established in Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District, a 2017 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
The ruling held that transgender students are protected under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause when seeking access to school bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. Because Wisconsin is within the Seventh Circuit, the decision remains binding precedent for schools in the state.
However, the legal landscape has evolved since 2017.
Subsequent federal appeals courts have reached different conclusions on similar questions, creating a split among the federal circuits. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in United States v. Skrmetti, while involving gender-affirming medical care rather than school bathrooms, has prompted courts to reexamine earlier transgender-rights decisions. As a result, Whitaker remains controlling law in Wisconsin today, though legal experts note its long-term future could eventually be revisited.
Campaign focuses on parental rights and girls’ spaces
Alfonso said the event was organized because parents in New Richmond have raised concerns about transgender students using girls’ bathrooms.
“We care about our daughters,” Alfonso told WEAU. “We care about Title IX protecting women’s sports and women’s spaces.”
When asked whether bringing a nationally known political activist into the race shifted attention away from issues such as affordability and infrastructure, Alfonso said local parents consider the bathroom issue one of their highest priorities.
“This is a massive issue to the parents here,” he said. “We’re going to be fighting on every single issue that matters.”
Alfonso is one of five Republicans seeking the GOP nomination in the Aug. 11 primary. The winner will advance to the November general election to succeed outgoing Congressman Tom Tiffany.
Riley Gaines backs New Richmond students
Gaines focused on themes she has promoted nationally, including:
- Restricting biological males from women’s sports and female-designated spaces.
- Supporting New Richmond students opposed to the district’s bathroom policy.
- Endorsing Alfonso’s campaign and its emphasis on parental rights and federal oversight of Title IX.
Other speakers included New Richmond High School student Ella Frei and Moms for Liberty activist Scarlett Johnson.
Moms for Liberty is a conservative parental-rights organization that has led efforts nationwide to challenge or remove books from public school libraries, many of which include LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The group has also supported policies limiting discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, arguing such material is inappropriate for children. Critics contend those efforts disproportionately target LGBTQ+ students and viewpoints.
Fair Wisconsin: Debate extends beyond bathrooms
Swetz said she believes the current political debate is about more than restroom access.
“When we talk about locker rooms and restrooms, we all want safety and privacy,” she said. “But comfort and safety are not the same thing.”
Swetz argued transgender students themselves often face the greatest safety concerns.
She pointed to research from UCLA’s Williams Institute, which found approximately 70% of transgender respondents reported experiencing harassment, denial of restroom access or assault in public restrooms. The report concluded that fear of harassment may discourage transgender individuals from attending school, work and public events while contributing to long-term mental and physical health impacts.
Swetz said debates over bathrooms and sports often become broader discussions about whether transgender people are accepted in public life.
“This conversation isn’t really about sports and isn’t really about locker rooms,” she said. “It’s about discrimination.”
Debate continues as election approaches
The New Richmond controversy has drawn statewide attention from advocacy organizations, political campaigns and national media, turning a local school policy into a prominent issue in Wisconsin’s congressional primary.
Supporters of Alfonso and Gaines argue biological sex should determine access to bathrooms and other sex-segregated spaces.
Opponents say New Richmond’s policy complies with current federal law in Wisconsin and that restricting restroom access places transgender students at greater risk of harassment and exclusion.
With the Republican primary less than a week away and litigation over the district’s policy still pending, the issue is likely to remain part of the broader political conversation in Wisconsin.