Republican Joseph Arminio is ejected from a candidates' forum after misgendering Congresswoman Sarah McBride.
Arminio referred to McBride using the term “his” while speaking at a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation of Delaware at the Siegel Jewish Community Center Thursday.
McBride is the first openly transgender member in Congress and seeking a second term in Delaware's lone U.S. House seat against Arminio this November.
Following the comment, Arminio was warned by moderator Ken Grant.
“This is your final warning: If you fail to show respect to anyone else on this stage, you will be asked to leave.” he said.
Arminio apologized but then referred to McBride as a “gentleman” a few minutes later. He was then told to leave the forum.
McBride asked that Arminio not be removed.
“I strongly believe that when you allow people to show you who they are they will do so, and I think my opponent was showing himself to be not serious in this debate” she said. "I've dealt with people like that in Washington, I know what they're trying to do: They're trying to get attention [and] go viral"
"I have thick skin; I can handle things. That doesn't mean what he was doing or saying was right or appropriate... but I thought it was important to make clear that his removal from the stage was not a byproduct of my request," McBride also told Delaware Public Media after the forum.
McBride has faced comments like this before. In early 2025, then House Foreign Affairs Chairman Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) recognized her as "Mr. McBride" during a committee hearing.
Following Arminio’s initial comment, GOP candidate for U.S, Senate Dr. Mike Katz condemned it, apologizing on his behalf.
“As a physician I believe in and recognize our common humanity and respect for each other, and so I feel that pain over those comments.. And my apologies.” he said.
Katz then backed the decision to kick Arminio out and after the forum, released a statement calling for Arminio to withdraw from the Congressional race.
Arminio won the GOP U.S. House primary Tuesday, defeating the GOP's endorsed candidate, Earl Cooper, and John Whalen, who was the Republican nominee against McBride two years ago.
This is Arminio's first run for office in Delaware, but he previously ran for Congress in Maryland in 2008, losing in a 4-person Republican primary in that state's First congressional district.
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University of Delaware student journalists John Becker, Ciara Gustin and Michael Stoll contributed to this story.
They are members of the UD Journalism/Delaware Public Media Midterm Election Coverage Team
