US Election 2020: Sarah McBride becomes first transgender senator to be sworn in

Democrat Sarah McBride became the first openly transgender state senator in the United States to be sworn in after winning the race on November 3 in Delaware. Defeating Republican Steve Washington, McBride not only said that “today was different” but also reiterated that “change is possible”. While acknowledging all the members of the LGBTQ+ community in the nation, the Democrat hoped that the young people realise “democracy is big enough for them” and that ideas matter over their identity throughout the nation. 

“I think tonight’s results demonstrate what I’ve known my entire life, which is that the residents of this district are fair-minded, and they’re looking at candidates’ ideas and not their identity,” McBride said Tuesday night. “It is my hope that a young LGBTQ kid here in Delaware or really anywhere in this country can look at the results and know that our democracy is big enough for them, too.”

Watch McBride's victory speech:

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Who is Sarah McBride?

Having interned with former US President Barack Obama, Sarah McBride has already made another history back in 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to speak at a major party convention. She succeeds Democrat Harris McDowell who has held the Senate seat since 1976 and even endorsed McBride’s candidacy. 

McBride was the former student body president at American University and started the career in politics by volunteering for a former legal counsel to Delaware’s Governor, Matt Denn during 2004 campaign. As per the Associated Press report, McBride then went on to work on campaigns of former Governor Jack Markell and also the former state Attorney General Beau Biden. 

Even though McBride is the first openly transgender to be elected to the state legislature, she is one of the several members from LGBTQ+ community to emerge victorious on November 3. Social worker Marie Pinkney, who identifies as queer is the first openly queer woman elected to the legislature. Meanwhile, Democrat Eric Morrison became the first openly gay man elected to the General assembly on November 3 and defeated a House member in the September primary. 

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