Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride, poised to become the first openly transgender member of the U.S. Congress, faces a significant political opportunity amid ongoing debates over transgender rights. With strong campaign support and her main competitor dropping out, McBride’s candidacy represents a milestone in American politics.
Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride, 33, is set to become the first openly transgender member of the U.S. Congress. Currently the nation’s highest-ranking openly transgender elected official, McBride will be on the ballot in November to replace U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is running for Senate. Having raised over $1.8 million for her campaign and securing endorsements from top House Democrats, McBride’s only serious competitor, Eugene Young, dropped out of the race. The district, known for its Democratic leanings, has not elected a Republican to the House in over a decade. McBride’s candidacy coincides with significant political debate over transgender rights, underscored by recent statements from former President Donald Trump’s Philadelphia rally, where he pledged to cut federal funding to schools supporting critical race theory or transgender issues and to prevent transgender women from participating in women’s sports.