Sarah McBride announces bid for US House of Representatives, first openly transgender member : NPR
Sarah McBride and Katie Couric speak on stage during the Women In The World summit on April 11, 2019 in New York City.
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Sarah McBride and Katie Couric speak on stage during the Women In The World summit on April 11, 2019 in New York City.
Mike Coppola / Getty Images
Delaware Senator Sarah McBride has announced her candidacy for Congress to succeed fellow Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester as the state’s plenary, offering a historic bid that could take her became the first openly transgender person to serve in the United States House of Representatives.
“My commitment is to the people in Delaware who are not seen, who are not shouting the loudest or sponsoring political campaigns,” McBride said in a video announcing her candidacy Monday. . “Everybody deserves a member of Congress who sees them and respects them.”
In her video, McBride addresses her accomplishments in Delaware politics, including the passage of the Delaware Healthy Families Act, which allows for paid medical and family leave.
“This campaign is not just about making history – it’s about moving forward. To strengthen our democracy, we need effective leaders who believe in bold action and building bridges to lasting progress,” McBride said in a statement, noting that her agenda includes addressing gun violence, protecting access to abortion, and addressing the issue. Climate Change.
McBride has received significant endorsements, including Attorney General Kathy Jennings, elected Delaware officials and labor leaders.
McBride, 32, has long been considered a rising star on Delaware politics. She worked for former Delaware Governor Jack Markell and the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. In 2012, she worked as an intern in the Obama administration. She was the first transgender person to speak at a major party’s political congress in 2016 and she has worked as a national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign.
McBride spoke at DNC 2016, becoming the first transgender speaker at a major political conference.
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She won her state Senate seat in 2020 with more than 70 percent of the vote in the general election.
In 2018, She is the author of a memoir called Tomorrow will be different, including a preface by President Biden.
McBride’s announcement comes as Republican-led state legislatures are introducing a series of bills targeting transgender people.
Human Rights Campaign give a report earlier this month found more than 75 bills aimed at the LGBTQ community that were signed into law by 2023. The organization declared a “state of emergency” for LGBTQ Americans.
