Sarah McBride Makes History Again: Inside Her Groundbreaking Run for Congress and What It Means for 2025

In a landmark victory that reverberates well beyond Delaware’s borders, Democrat Sarah McBride has won the state’s at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first openly transgender person ever elected to Congress. McBride, 34, defeated Republican challenger John Whalen III on Tuesday, giving Democrats continued control of Delaware’s lone House district and writing a new chapter in American political history. McBride’s decisive win—garnering roughly 64 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns—caps a rapid political rise that began when she made headlines in 2016 as the first openly transgender speaker at a major party convention. Four years later she was elected to the Delaware Senate, where she championed paid family leave, gun-safety reforms and protections for LGBTQ+ youth. Her tenure earned bipartisan praise for diligent constituent services and an ability to broker compromise—traits she highlighted in a campaign that focused on cost-of-living relief, accessible health care and safeguarding abortion rights. “This campaign was never about making history for history’s sake,” McBride told supporters at her Wilmington victory party. “It’s about delivering for working families, seniors and small businesses in every corner of Delaware.” She added that her win sends “a powerful message that democracy is big enough for all of us, and hatred will never silence hope.” National advocacy groups were quick to applaud the result. Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, called McBride’s election “a watershed moment that will inspire transgender kids across the country.” The victory arrives amid a record wave of state-level bills targeting transgender rights, underscoring the symbolic weight her presence will carry on Capitol Hill. Governor John Carney and outgoing Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester—who vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate—have already congratulated McBride, emphasizing her legislative experience and deep Delaware roots. Carney noted that McBride “knows how to get things done for the First State,” while Blunt Rochester predicted her successor would “hit the ground running on day one.” McBride is expected to receive committee assignments aligned with her policy priorities, including Education and Labor and potentially Oversight. She has pledged to push for a federal paid-leave program modeled on the bill she shepherded through the Delaware Senate and to protect LGBTQ+ servicemembers in the wake of recent legislative battles. With her swearing-in slated for January, Sarah McBride’s historic breakthrough signals both a milestone for transgender representation and a shift toward a more inclusive Congress—one that reflects the diverse identities and lived experiences of the nation it serves.