Delaware State Senator Becomes First Transgender Elected to U.S. Congress
Delaware state senator Sarah McBride, a biological male who has since transitioned to a woman, has become the first transgender elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after winning Delaware’s only House seat.
NBC News reported McBride defeated Republican John Whalen III with 57.8% of the vote.
In a celebration speech, McBride stated, “Tonight is a testament to Delawareans that here in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities.”
“While at this moment in America’s history, hope sometimes feels hard to come by, we must never forget that we are the beneficiaries of seemingly impossible change,” added McBride.
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride has been elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress. https://t.co/wEU2PI2u1E pic.twitter.com/PO5uNo5KHs
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 6, 2024
Per NBC News:
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride won the state’s only House seat Tuesday, NBC News projects, making her the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.
McBride, a Democrat, defeated Republican John Whalen III, taking 57.8% of the vote with 95% of the vote in.
“Tonight is a testament to Delawareans that here in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride said at Delaware’s Democratic election night celebration Tuesday night.
She thanked her friends and family and her late husband, Andy Cray, who died of cancer in 2014, just days after their wedding.
“My time with Andy reinforced for me a simple truth, that hope as an emotion, hope as a phenomenon, only makes sense in the face of hardship,” she said. “While at this moment in America’s history, hope sometimes feels hard to come by, we must never forget that we are the beneficiaries of seemingly impossible change.”
BREAKING: Democrat Sarah McBride wins Delaware’s U.S. House seat, NBC News projects, making her the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.https://t.co/ofnn1LqupR pic.twitter.com/cCdw5yw4pA
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 6, 2024