Sarah McBride wins Delaware race, becoming nation's 1st openly transgender state senator
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Sarah McBride defeated Republican opponent Steve Washington in Delaware’s First State Senate District race by a large margin, the New York Times reports. The Democratic lawmaker is now the first transgender person to hold office in a state Senate, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund.
“We did it. We won the general election,” McBride, 30, tweeted on Tuesday night. “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too.”
McBride is now among five transgender state legislators, according to the Washington Blade. The others are Danica Roem, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates; New Hampshire state Reps. Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon; and Colorado state Rep. Brianna Titone, all Democrats.
In a statement Tuesday, LGBTQ Victory Fund CEO Annise Parker said McBride won in a “polarizing year.”
“Throughout this election cycle, Donald Trump and other cynical politicians attempted to use trans people as a political weapon, believing they could gain popularity by stoking fear and hate,” Parker said. “For Sarah to shatter a lavender ceiling in such a polarizing year is a powerful reminder that voters are increasingly rejecting the politics of bigotry in favor of candidates who stand for fairness and equality. Her victory will inspire more trans people to follow in her footsteps and run for public office.”
AP reports that McBride was the first openly transgender person to speak at a major party convention when she addressed the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
Also on Tuesday, in the presidential race, Democrat Joe Biden was the projected winner of Delaware, his home state.
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