Sarah McBride will win open Delaware seat, becoming first transgender person in Congress, CNN projects
Sarah McBride, a Delaware state senator, has made history by winning her state’s at-large US House seat, becoming the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress, according to a projection by CNN. The at-large seat became vacant when outgoing Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester decided to run for the state’s open US Senate seat.
Despite running in a reliably blue state, McBride focused on her work leading a bipartisan effort to pass paid family and medical leave in Delaware. She also highlighted her endorsements from unions and her efforts to raise the state minimum wage. While not heavily emphasizing the historic nature of her candidacy, McBride touched on the broader theme of respect, stating that everyone deserves a member of Congress who respects them and their families.
McBride, a close ally of President Joe Biden, has played a significant role in shaping Biden’s views on LGBTQ issues. She first connected with Biden in 2006 while working on the late Beau Biden’s attorney general campaign. Beau Biden was a strong supporter of transgender protections legislation in Delaware, a cause that McBride has advocated for.
President Biden even wrote the foreword to McBride’s 2018 memoir, “Tomorrow Will Be Different.” The book details McBride’s journey as a transgender rights activist and her personal story, including her relationship with her late husband Andrew Cray, whom she met at a White House LGBTQ pride event in 2012. Tragically, Cray, a transgender man and fellow activist, passed away from cancer in 2014 shortly after their marriage.
Before her historic win in Congress, McBride served as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, a prominent LGBTQ rights organization. In 2012, during her senior year at American University, she made headlines nationwide by coming out as transgender in an op-ed published in the university’s newspaper. At the time, McBride expressed concerns that her gender identity might hinder her political ambitions.
However, McBride’s resilience and determination prevailed. In 2016, she became the first transgender person to address a national party convention when she spoke at the Democratic National Convention. Four years later, in 2020, McBride broke barriers once again by becoming the first openly transgender person elected to a state Senate seat in northern Delaware.
McBride’s journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to advocacy and representation for the LGBTQ community. Her historic victory in Congress marks a significant milestone in the fight for equality and inclusivity.
