Transgender activist Sarah McBride is seeking a seat in the Delaware state Senate next year.
McBride hopes to succeed State Sen. Harris McDowell (D-North Wlmington), who is not running again after his term ends next year.
McDowell will have represented the 1st District, which includes Wilmington, Claymont and Bellefonte, for 44 years by the end of 2019.
McBride, a Wilmington native, said issues such as expanding access to affordable health care and paid family and medical leave top her list of priorities.
McBride’s passion for pursuing those policies come from caring for her late husband who died of cancer.
“I’m running to be an advocate for quality, affordable health care, for people to know that if a loved one got sick, they can focus on that and not on navigating a system that in too many cases is coming up short for too many people,” she said.
McBride said although many people know her for her LGBTQ activism, she’s not running on her gender.
“I’m not running to be a transgender state senator," she said. "I’m running to be a senator who’s been a caregiver. I’m running to be a senator who was born and raised in this community. And I’m running to be a senator who cares about my neighbors.”
McBride works remotely from Delaware as the press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. She helped pass state gender identity nondiscrimination legislation in 2013.
She’s also worked for former Gov. Jack Markell and the late Attorney General Beau Biden.
