Sarah McBride Elected First Openly Transgender Congressman

Delaware state senator Sarah McBride has made history by becoming the first openly transgender person elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Republican John Whalen III with 57.8% of the vote. McBride, a Democrat and prominent LGBTQ activist, previously made headlines as the first trans woman to intern in the White House and as the first trans state senator in the U.S. Her campaign focused on expanding healthcare access, reproductive rights, and paid family leave, resonating with Delaware’s largely Democratic electorate. In her victory speech, McBride emphasized the importance of judging candidates by their ideas rather than identities and reflected on the significance of her win for marginalized communities. McBride's election continues a trend of historic milestones for representation in American politics, following other notable figures like Vice President Kamala Harris. She will replace Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester, who successfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat.