Delaware voters send trailblazing transgender Congresswoman Sarah McBride back to the U.S. Congress

Delaware voters have given Congresswoman Sarah McBride a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives, returning the first out transgender federal lawmaker to an institution where Republicans targeted her access to a bathroom before she could cast her first vote.

The Democrat defeated Republican Joseph Arminio for Delaware’s lone U.S. House seat, according to Decision Desk HQ, which called the race at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday as polls closed before the vote had been tallied.

Related: Sarah McBride sails toward reelection after advancing unopposed in Delaware Democratic primary

McBride’s reelection follows two years of balancing national attention over her identity with the daily work of representing Delawareans. Her campaign emphasized affordability and constituent service, arguing that voters should judge her by what she delivered.

As The Advocate reported in July, McBride visited all 57 of Delaware’s incorporated communities in 57 hours to launch her reelection bid. She said conversations across the state returned to the cost of housing, food, and energy.

“I am here in Congress for everyone, and this campaign is for all of us,” she told The Advocate then.

Related: Sarah McBride wins Delaware U.S. House seat, becoming the first out trans member of Congress

The national confrontation began shortly after her historic 2024 victory. House Speaker Mike Johnson barred transgender people from using restrooms aligned with their gender identity in House-controlled spaces. McBride said she would comply, which drew criticism within the trans community.

In a later interview with The Advocate, she described the episode’s personal toll.

“Calling it a ‘bathroom controversy’ feels cheap. It was so much more than that,” she said.

Her first term also involved less visible efforts to defend transgender people. The Advocate reported in December 2025 that McBride helped persuade four Republicans to oppose a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors. The legislation nevertheless passed the House.