Last week, the sole remaining challenger to Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride (D) in her bid for the state’s solitary U.S. House seat withdrew, effectively paving the path for McBride to potentially make history as the first openly transgender individual elected to Congress. At 33, McBride also stands to become the youngest person to represent Delaware in Washington since Joe Biden’s senatorial inauguration in 1973 at age 30. Eugene Young, Delaware’s former State Housing Authority director, announced his departure from the race via email to supporters. His decision was not accompanied by a specific reason or an endorsement for McBride. With no Republican challenger emerging in the heavily Democratic state, McBride is poised for a historic victory in the general election on November 5. Following Young’s withdrawal, two significant endorsements swiftly followed suit. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, the current holder of Delaware’s at-large congressional seat and now a candidate for the U.S. Senate, voiced her support for McBride along with an endorsement from U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. A year ago, McBride entered the race. As the former press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, she made history as the first openly transgender individual to address a major party convention, stepping onto the stage after Hillary Clinton’s nomination in 2016. McBride’s journey includes internships at Barack Obama’s White House and a role as a staffer for Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, forging a lasting bond with the Biden family. McBride’s election to Congress is an historic moment in LGBTQ+ history.
