Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride announced Monday she's running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Already the first openly transgender state senator elected in the country, she'd be the first transgender member of Congress if she wins in November.

In a video posted to social media, McBride, a Democrat, said people deserve a representative “who sees them and who respects them.” Her announcement also highlighted her support for paid family leave, which passed the state Senate last year.

“This law is a good start, but government should do more to make it easier for people to raise a family,” she said. “So I'm running for Congress.”

McBride was elected in 2020 in a heavily Democratic district stretching from northern Wilmington to the Pennsylvania border. There are several other transgender legislators around the country but she's the first trans member of any state Senate.

McBride interned at the White House under former President Barack Obama and made history at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly trans person to speak at a major party convention.

McBride has long-standing ties to Delaware’s best-known political family. She worked on the late Beau Biden’s campaigns for state attorney general, and Beau’s father, President Joe Biden, wrote the foreword to her memoir. She also worked on the campaign of former Gov. Jack Markell.

She succeeded fellow Democrat Harris McDowell, who held the Senate seat since 1976 and endorsed McBride’s candidacy.

McBride’s campaign generated interest and money from around the country, bringing in more than $270,000 in donations as of early October 2020, eclipsing fundraising totals even for candidates for statewide office in Delaware.

A former student body president at American University, McBride started in politics as a volunteer for Matt Denn, former legal counsel to Delaware’s governor, during his successful 2004 campaign for insurance commissioner. Denn, who later served as lieutenant governor and attorney general, worked with McBride’s father at a Wilmington law firm known for its close ties to the Democratic Party establishment.

Share:
More In Politics
2017: A Big Year in the Fight for Women's Rights
Jacqueline Ayers, Director of Legislative Affairs for Planned Parenthood, discusses 2017's historic year for women - from the women's marches that kicked off President Trump's inauguration to the #Metoo campaign.
Best of VF Hive
The intersection of Washington DC, Wall Street and Silicon Valley and the egos at play in each.
Crunching the Numbers on the Tax Reform Impact
President Trump signed the Republican tax bill into law last week. While most taxpayers will not be impacted until its time to file 2018 taxes in 2019, there are ways you can be proactive now. TurboTax Chief Tax Officer Dave Williams shares his advice for planning ahead.
Between Bells: December 28, 2017
VF Hive + Between Bells: Vanity Fair's Hive gets candid with departing Vanity Fair Editor Graydon Carter. On Between Bells: the countdown to legal recreational weed. With New York Magazine, IMore.com: iPhone and iPad, FHM, and more.
Obama Warns Against Perils of Social Media
Michael Simon, staff writer for PCWorld, discusses President Obama's comments in an interview with Prince Harry where he warned against the misuse of social media, hinting at leaders that use platforms to divide and spread misinformation.
Load More