NBC News has projected that Sarah McBride, a member of the Democratic Party, has secured Delaware’s sole House seat.
Earlier on November 5, it was anticipated that McBride had triumphed over Republican contender John Whalen in the Delaware House of Representatives election.
At the age of 34, McBride made history in 2020 as the first openly transgender person elected as a state senator, representing Delaware’s 1st Senate District. She has now achieved another milestone by becoming the first openly transgender individual elected to the US House of Representatives.
Following NBC News’ projection of her victory, McBride expressed her gratitude on Twitter, stating: “Thank you, Delaware! Because of your votes and your values, I am proud to be your next member of Congress.
“Delaware has sent the message loud and clear that we must be a country that protects reproductive freedom, that guarantees paid leave and affordable child care for all our families, that ensures that housing and health care are available to everyone and that this is a democracy that is big enough for all of us.”
Before the election, McBride shared with Reuters: “Whenever you are first, you often have to try to be the best version that you can. […] But none of them matter if I don’t fulfil the responsibility of just being the best member of Congress that I can be for Delaware.”
She also addressed the transgender community, saying: “Anyone who worries that the heart of this country is not big enough to love them should know that they belong […] Our democracy is big enough for all of us.”
McBride’s personal website mentions her upbringing in Wilmington and her long-standing commitment to community advocacy. She publicly came out in 2011, having known she was transgender for years, and later pursued a political career to champion inclusivity.
Before her tenure in the State Senate, she worked with former Governor Jack Markell, Joe Biden, and served in the Obama-Biden White House, alongside being the national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ equal rights organization in the nation.
Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, remarked on McBride’s projected win, describing it as ‘a landmark achievement on the march toward equality,’ according to NBC News.
Robinson further stated: “This historic victory reflects not only increasing acceptance of transgender people in our society, ushered in by the courage of visible leaders like Sarah, but also her dogged work in demonstrating that she is an effective lawmaker who will deliver real results. [She is] reshaping the halls of Congress.”
According to her website: “McBride led the successful effort to pass landmark non-discrimination protections in Delaware and championed legislation that protects vulnerable youth from child abuse and was ultimately awarded the state’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the First State, by former Governor Markell.
“As a state senator, McBride has passed legislation expanding access to health care, requiring mental health and media literacy education in public schools, promoting green technologies, preventing lead poisoning in youth, and protecting workers and families.
“In just her first term, McBride passed the landmark Healthy Delaware Families Act, providing paid family and medical leave to workers throughout the First State and marking the largest expansion of Delaware’s social safety net in decades.
“She currently serves as chair of the Senate Health & Social Services Committee and is a member of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, Education Committee, Banking, Business, Insurance, and Technology Committee, and Executive Committee.”