Ahead of Friday’s start of the 119th Congress, Equality PAC hosted a celebration on Thursday evening at Washington, D.C.’s District Winery that felt as much like a family reunion as it did a rally for the future of LGBTQ+ rights. The honorees—Congresswomen-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware, Emily Randall of Washington state, and Julie Johnson of Texas—are about to make history in Congress, and the room was buzzing with the energy of that significance.
McBride will be the first transgender person in Congress, Randall the first queer Latina, and Johnson the first LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South.
The evening blended joy with determination. Guests sipped custom cocktails—the Sarah Spritz, Emily Espaloma, and Julie Julep—while Broadway star Aaron Tveit, known for his Tony Award-winning role in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, delivered a powerful performance that left the room captivated.
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The speaking program featured Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont, who celebrated the parity of men and women in the LGBTQ+ caucus for the first time. “We’re going to have six powerful gay men and six powerful queer and trans women,” she said to cheers.
Equality PAC co-chair Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York highlighted the organization’s role in supporting LGBTQ+ candidates, noting that the PAC raised over $20 million in this election cycle alone. He described McBride, Randall, and Johnson as “warriors for equality” poised to take on the challenges ahead.
The honorees each took the stage to reflect on their journeys, express gratitude, and share what their victories mean for the LGBTQ+ community.
Christopher Wiggins for The Advocate
For McBride, the day leading up to the event was as symbolic as the celebration itself. Earlier in the day, she took the Amtrak train from her hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, to Washington, D.C., following in the footsteps of President Joe Biden, who famously commuted daily on Amtrak during his decades-long Senate career.
“I often drive to D.C., but my brother texted me that he and his spouse and kids were taking the train, and I thought I’d love to join them,” McBride told The Advocate. “It also struck me that Delaware has had, for decades, leaders like [former Sen.] Tom Carper and Joe Biden who commuted daily on Amtrak to serve our state while keeping Delaware close to their hearts. Taking that train felt like a tribute to their legacy and their approach to public service.”
Once in D.C., McBride reflected on her journey, crediting Equality PAC for helping her overcome doubts about running for office. “There was a moment before I announced my campaign… where I was pretty close to deciding not to run. I was scared. I wasn’t sure I was ready,” she said. “[Equality PAC executive director] Jeff [Laravie] gave me just the bit of courage that I needed… We would not have shattered this national glass ceiling without Equality PAC.”
In her interview with The Advocate, McBride described being on the precipice of history with Friday’s swearing-in. “It’s surreal. Awe-inspiring. I’m thinking back on all of the progress that I have had the privilege of bearing witness to… and I am feeling grateful to all those whose shoulders I’m standing on.”
McBride will swear her oath on her childhood family Bible, the same one she used during her swearing-in as a Delaware state senator. “I think I’ll be thinking about my family,” she said, “and truly just how grateful I am to Delaware.”
She acknowledged the challenges ahead, particularly Republican-led attacks on trans rights. “These attacks are the politics of misdirection—they want to distract from slashing programs and gutting protections for workers and families. We need to expose their agenda while standing strong against hate,” she said.
Randall’s reflections traced her journey from Port Orchard, Washington, where queer visibility was rare and pride celebrations were hidden. “When I was in high school, folks had to know the right password to get to the party on the beach because people were scared,” she said.
In her interview with The Advocate, Randall spoke about her election’s significance and its progress. “Despite the unprecedented attacks that our community is facing, it feels incredibly energizing and hopeful to be in this community, to think about how far we’ve come this election cycle,” she said. “To finally have parity and women in the caucus... and to finally have voices at the table that look, that sound like, that share the experiences of people in our neighborhoods.”
She also addressed the symbolism of stepping into spaces of power that have historically excluded LGBTQ+ people. “The first time I was ever in a bathroom full of marble was in the state Senate, in a building that wasn’t built for us,” she said. “What I think my job is, is to make these majestic buildings more welcoming to people like us, to decorate my office with art by queer and trans and artists of color. To have bright colors in the office, to wear bright colors, to have toys for kids, and to make it feel like a space that belongs to the people.”
Randall has a message for young LGBTQ+ people who might see her, McBride, or Johnson representing their community: “I want them to know that they should run too. That their voices belong here, that it matters that they’re here. I want to make the doorways wider and keep the seat warm until they’re ready to run,” she said.
She shared the story of her friend Stella, a young trans activist who aspires to be the first trans president. “When Stella was a little girl, she said, ‘I want to be the first trans president.’ And I’m so excited for the day I get to vote for her to be my member of Congress,” Randall said, adding that her goal is to inspire queer youth to see themselves as leaders.
Randall will swear her oath on an anthology of activist women writers that belonged to her late friend Beth, a feminist and political organizer who died in 2017. “It was the book I used when I was sworn into the Washington State Senate, and it carries her spirit with me,” Randall said. “I’m really proud to be sworn in on this book, to have Beth’s memory with me, and to carry the words of such incredible women in my heart as I take on this adventure.”
Johnson, the first LGBTQ+ member of Congress from Texas, brings tenacity and authenticity to the table. Representing a state that has been at the epicenter of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Johnson acknowledged the weight of her victory.
“It’s really overwhelming and very humbling at the same time,” she told The Advocate. “There’s a lot of responsibility to come from a state like Texas and to be the first LGBTQ person elected to Congress from a red state that generates so much hate against our community. It’s not something that’s lost on me. So I take the responsibility very seriously to do the best I can to be a great member of Congress.”
When asked how she plans to combat the challenges a Republican-dominated political environment poses, Johnson pointed to the strategies that worked for her in the Texas Legislature. “It’s a couple of things,” she said. “One, becoming a master of the rules. Really learning the procedural tactics you have to be able to affect the legislative process the way you want to, either by passing something or killing something. But more importantly, being willing to reach across the aisle and build relationships.”
Johnson shared how her authenticity helped her forge meaningful connections with Republicans in Texas. “I made a lot of incredible relationships in the Texas Legislature with Republicans who became my dear friends,” she said. “They got to see my life, meet my wife and kids, and realize I’m just like them. And it changed them in some of their votes. I think that bringing that same authenticity to D.C. is important.”
As Johnson prepares to settle into her new role, her immediate priorities include identifying areas where she can make the most impact. “We’ll wait for our committee assignments and see where the opportunities are, but sitting down with my team and being strategic about where we have opportunities to move the needle—and then taking advantage of whatever presents itself,” she said.
Unlike her colleagues, Johnson has not chosen a symbolic item for her swearing-in. “I probably should have thought about that,” she admitted with a smile during her interview. “But no, I’m not [using anything special].”
