Sarah McBride Is the First Transgender Woman to Be Elected State Senator in U.S. History
American activist and Democratic politician Sarah McBride is the nation’s first transgender woman to be elected state senator, and here’s what you need to know about her.
After winning the election on Tuesday, McBride will serve as State Senator for Delaware and be sworn into office in January 2021. McBride beat Republican candidate Steve Washington in Delaware District one and won approximately 73% of the vote, according to the Delaware Department of Elections. McBride is the first openly LGBTQIA+ person to assume public office in Delaware’s legislature.
“It is my fervent hope that tonight a young person in Delaware […] or anywhere in this country can go to sleep tonight […] with a powerful but simple message: that our democracy is big enough for them too.” – @SarahEMcBride #ElectionNight #UnityWins (📹: @cmclymer) pic.twitter.com/1zMbGSYHeq
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) November 4, 2020
McBride is a former spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign and was the first transgender woman to intern at the White House with the Obama administration. Just this year, she signed Delaware’s gender identity non-discrimination act into law and plans to expand access to health care. McBride’s platform also includes advocating for criminal justice reform, supporting local schools, and increasing the state’s minimum wage.
McBride had overwhelming support from Delawareans and politicians alike and was endorsed by prominent government offiicials including Barack Obama, Gerald Brady, Nnamdi Chukwuocha, and more. In her campaign, she voiced her support for former Vice President Joe Biden and former Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
Supporters of McBride have voiced their excitement about her win on Tuesday on Twitter. They have particularly highlighted how McBride’s victory symbolic of positive change going forward for the LGBTQ community.
For my LGBTQ+ friends: Let’s celebrate tonight Sarah McBride becoming the 1st trans State Senator in US history after winning in Delaware. pic.twitter.com/9DjVhM2Gs9
— LaineMitchell (@Laine_Mitchell) November 4, 2020
We cannot wait to see what McBride accomplishes going forward, and we congratulate her on her well-deserved victory.
