The general election is just around the corner, and the competition to represent Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives is clearly led by State Senator Sarah McBride. If McBride succeeds, she will make history as the first transgender person to serve in Congress.

Having obtained her party’s nomination on Tuesday, McBride will compete against Republican Donyale Hall in the general election scheduled for November 5 in a largely Democratic state that has not elected a Republican representative since 2011.

“This campaign signifies many firsts, which I am fully aware of and feel a profound sense of responsibility for. However, my goal is not to be known in Congress solely for my identity,” McBride stated during an interview with YSL News. “I strive to show that it’s possible to be true to oneself while being an effective legislator.”

Approximately 1.14% of adults in the U.S., equating to around 3 million individuals, identify as transgender, as per data from the US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey. A very small segment of these individuals hold public office. For the first time in 2022, more than 1,000 individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ held positions in government across the nation, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a political advocacy organization.

“Sarah embodies the progress our nation is making in embracing LGBTQ individuals, particularly highlighting that transgender people are recognized and welcomed to share their significant talents in various fields, including Congress,” remarked GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis to YSL News.

More: ‘History made’: Sarah McBride becomes the first transgender state senator, receiving widespread celebrity backing.

Connections in Capital

McBride has significant ties to Washington, D.C.

She previously worked for former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, the late Attorney General Beau Biden, and even interned at the Obama-Biden White House. She regarded Beau Biden as a “close friend” and a “mentor.” After he passed in 2015, she formed a friendship with his father, President Joe Biden, who wrote the foreword for her memoir titled “Tomorrow Will Be Different,” released in 2018.

“My respect for her insight and determination grew when she interned at the White House, marking her as the first transgender woman in that role,” the president wrote. “Beau would have been proud to know Sarah. Jill and I share his admiration.”

When he decided to exit his reelection campaign while supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, McBride commended the move, stating he “helped preserve democracy” in 2020 and is doing so once again by supporting Kamala Harris and a new generation of leadership this year.

“She has been a steady presence for the Biden family for nearly two decades,” said Louisa Terrell, former assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, in a statement to YSL News. “From Beau’s initial campaign for Attorney General to the establishment of the Biden Foundation, she has provided invaluable guidance, and will continue to be an influential figure — collaborating with colleagues across the aisle — in the effort to ensure that all Americans are respected and allowed to live authentically.”

Reputation as a ‘Peacemaker’

McBride grew up in Wilmington, representing the area she now serves. She attended American University, majoring in political science. Before launching her political career, McBride worked as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, the foremost American advocate for LGBTQ rights.

State Attorney General Kathy Jennings first encountered McBride in 2013, shortly after she graduated, when McBride testified before the state senate in favor of the Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act.

Jennings, one of the first to endorse McBride last summer, noted that her testimony played a crucial role in the legislation passing in 2013. She recalls putting her arm around McBride and telling her that she was destined for greatness after witnessing her address the senate.

“Right from the start, it was clear she was a leader,” Jennings reflected. “When she became a Delaware senator, she approached her role with vigor . . . I became convinced she had the capability to achieve great things within the legislature.”

As a state senator, McBride tackled significant issues, advocating for successful laws that secured paid family leave and broadened health care access affordability and enhance gun safety.

Hall, McBride’s Republican challenger at 54 years old, is an Air Force veteran, a small business owner, and is the father of ten. He informed YSL News that he would advocate for policies promoting school choice and preventing transgender students from competing in girls’ sports.

Jennings remarked that McBride has earned a reputation as a “peacemaker” for her collaborative efforts in the state senate. However, Hall challenges this view, arguing that the Democrats dominate both houses of the state legislature.

“Senator McBride frequently claims that the legislation passing through the General Assembly enjoys bipartisan backing,” Hall stated. “These bills are actually passing solely due to their majority, which suggests they aren’t reflecting the true needs of the populace.”

Bipartisanship Goals

Regardless, McBride expresses her intention to leverage her unifying skills to address the current state of Congress, which is recognized as one of the most fragmented and least effective in history.

Virginia State Senator Danica Roem, known for being the first openly transgender individual elected into a state legislature in 2017, shared her supportive bond with McBride developed over the years. Roem commended McBride’s success in passing bipartisan legislation even during her initial year in the state senate.

However, she cautioned that McBride might also encounter some resistance.

“Some individuals who travel to Washington, D.C. primarily for media exposure and to influence discussions without achieving any legislative success will likely oppose her. They will not treat her well,” Roem commented. “Those dedicated to actual legislation will be where she naturally forms connections. They will soon learn that she is a trans woman, and not just that but also a seasoned state legislator with a history of bipartisan cooperation.”

McBride asserted that her accomplishments in Delaware highlight her capability to engage and collaborate with Republicans, yet whether she can mend partisan rifts in a highly polarized House of Representatives remains uncertain.

McBride still has strong support from Roem, who recounted a moment when she reached out to McBride to show her solidarity for the campaign.

“I told her, ‘I achieved my significant milestone.’ I told her, ‘This is your moment,'” Roem recalled.

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at YSL News, concentrating on politics and education. Follow her on X, previously known as Twitter, at @rachelbarber_