Sen. Sarah McBride announces candidacy for Congress
DELAWARE – Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride is looking to take her work to the federal level. Monday, Sen. McBride announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives.
Ready and Energized
Sen. McBride tells 47 ABC WMDT she feels “ready” and “energized” to kick off her campaign.
“I’m feeling excited to introduce myself to the voters who I’ve not yet had a chance to meet,” said Sen. McBride, “to deepen the bonds that I’ve already been able to develop with communities across the state, and to run a campaign that brings people together, and instills in them a sense of hope that our best days are still ahead of us.”
“This campaign isn’t just about making history.”
Sen. McBride is the first openly transgender State Senator in United States history. If she is elected to House, Sen. McBride would also be the first-ever openly transgender member of Congress. However, she says, this campaign is about more than that.
“This campaign isn’t just about making history. Diversity in government is important. But, I’m not running to be the transgender member of Congress; I’m running to be the member of Congress from Delaware who is focused on all of the issues that matter to Delawareans across our state,” said Sen. McBride. “The policies that I’m working on are not just impacting residents in the 1st Senate District, they’re impacting Delawareans statewide. That’s why, over the last several years, I’ve been so eager to travel up and down the state, and talk about the policies I’m working on; to hear from voters, to hear from residents, to hear unions and small business owners, Democrats and Republicans, alike.”
Building Progress, Finding Common Ground
The Democrat has served on in Delaware’s 1st Senate District since 2020. Should she be elected, Sen. McBride says she plans to continue building on the progress Delaware has made. That includes paid medical leave, affordable early childhood education, investing in schools and health care, and gun safety, she says.
“I believe that Congress needs to do more. Congress needs to step up,” said Sen. McBride. “We’ve seen historic progress during the first two years of the Biden Harris Administration. But, there’s a lot left to do… I think people are tired of MAGA Republicans seeking to divide and distract with their invented problems, chaos, and cultural wars. I think people want elected officials who are focused on the issues that actually matter to people.”
During her time in the Delaware General Assembly, Sen. McBride says she has always been able to find common ground with other leaders.
“Every bill that I have introduced and passed through the Delaware General Assembly, up to this point, has passed with a bipartisan majority,” said Sen. McBride. “Yes, that sometimes means working with people that I disagree with. Sometimes that means working with people who don’t necessarily see me as the person I know myself to be. But, ultimately, my job in elected office, as a senator, and potentially as a member of Congress, is to do the best job I can for constituents of this state.”
“Huge shoes to fill”
Looking ahead, Sen. McBride says she is ready to navigate a potentially changing political landscape.
“It has never been more important for us to elect strong and effective leaders to Congress; people who have delivered already, but also those who can go to Washington and deliver results for the people that they’re privileged to represent,” said Sen. McBride. “We have to reject the false distinction between being bold and building bridges. Indeed, being both bold and building bridges is the only way to deliver real and lasting change.”
Sen. McBride’s announcement comes as U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware eyes a seat in the Senate. U.S. Senator Tom Carper of Delaware plans to retire at the end of this term. Sen. McBride says Rep. Blunt Rochester is leaving “huge shoes to fill.”
“One of the lessons I’ve learned from Representative Blunt Rochester, in watching her serve, is the power of joy, the power of hope; that ultimately, for all the challenges that we face as a society, there are reasons for joy,” said Sen. McBride.
As the campaign trail unfolds in front of her, and she reflects on the path that lead to here, Sen. McBride has this message for Delawareans:
