Sarah McBride wins Delaware primary, could become first openly transgender person in Congress
State Senator Sarah McBride is voters’ choice to vie for Delaware’s congressional seat in November’s election.
If elected, she would be the first transgender person elected to federal office and the youngest elected official Delaware has sent to Washington since Joe Biden won a Senate seat in 1972.
McBride handily defeated two political newcomers in the Democratic primary, a race that was called shortly after the polls closed Tuesday. She will face either Donyale Hall or John Whalen III whose race for the Republican nomination has yet to be called as of 8:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The winner in November’s general election will assume the congressional seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who became the Democrats’ candidate to replace retiring U.S. Senator Tom Carper on Tuesday.
Statistically, McBride is the favorite in November over either Republican. Registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters in Delaware by nearly 150,000.
McBride also holds a commanding fundraising advantage.
Through August 21, McBride had raised $2.9 million and held $1.7 million unspent. Through the same period, her nearest potential Republican opponent had raised $37.000 with $9,500 left to spend.
McBride previously worked as the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group, and gained national attention when she became the first openly trans person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
A Wilmington native, McBride was elected to Delaware’s Senate in 2020. On the campaign trail, she has pitched to voters her successful advocacy for statewide family and medical leave legislation in the state house.
