Sarah McBride: Delaware Senator Becomes First Openly Transgender Member of U.S. Congress

Delaware, November 2024 — In a historic milestone for LGBTQ+ representation, Sarah McBride has become the first openly transgender person elected to the United States Congress. Representing Delaware, McBride joins Congress at a time of significant political shifts, with Republican candidate Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election, securing 303 electoral votes.

Sarah McBride, a Democrat, has previously broken ground as the highest-ranking transgender elected official in U.S. history. In 2020, she was elected as Delaware’s first openly transgender state senator, representing the 1st Delaware State Senate district. Her journey to national prominence began over a decade ago. In 2012, she was the first openly transgender person to intern at the White House under then-President Barack Obama. She later made history as the first transgender person to speak at a U.S. national political convention in 2016.

Throughout her campaign, Sarah McBride focused on a progressive platform, championing affordable health care, reproductive rights, and policies to support paid leave and affordable childcare. After her victory, McBride took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank her constituents: “Thank you, Delaware! Because of your votes and your values, I am proud to be your next member of Congress.”

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… pic.twitter.com/QgwRkpUlbD

— Sen. Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) November 6, 2024

Sarah McBride expressed her commitment to building a more inclusive democracy, saying, “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.”

Born and raised in Delaware, Sarah McBride came out as transgender in 2012 while attending American University. Her dedication to advocacy grew as she navigated personal and public challenges, including the loss of her late husband, Andy Cray, to cancer in 2014.

Reflecting on her role as a pioneer, McBride acknowledged the weight of her position: “Whenever you are first, you often have to try to be the best version that you can,” she said. “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.”

McBride’s election represents a significant step forward in transgender representation in government. She hopes that her success will inspire young transgender Americans and all who feel marginalized, affirming, “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.”