Trans activist Sarah McBride announces that she's running for state senate

“I’ve spent my life fighting for people to have dignity, peace of mind, and a fair shot at staying afloat and getting ahead.”

Sarah McBride

Prominent trans activist Sarah McBride is stepping into politics. Source: Getty Images North America

Trans activist Sarah McBride is entering politics, announcing her intention to run for the US state senate in Delaware.

McBride, who currently works as press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, shared the news in a statement to , before posting her first campaign video .

The announcement came after Delaware's 1st Senate District incumbent, fellow Democrat Harris McDowell, announced his retirement earlier this month.

“I’ve spent my life fighting for people to have dignity, peace of mind, and a fair shot at staying afloat and getting ahead," her statement read.
“Sen. McDowell’s retirement at the end of this term is a well-deserved cap on a remarkable career of public service, and now our neighbours need someone who will continue to fight for them."

Speaking to McBride said that her campaign will be focusing on criminal justice reform and affordable healthcare - something she's passionate about, given she cared for her late husband after he was diagnosed with cancer.

“A lot of people know me because of my advocacy in the LGBTIQ+ community, but I want to be clear that that has not been my most formative experience,” she said.

“I don’t want anyone to go through that experience, but I also know that thousands of people are going through it every day."

If McBride is successful, she will become the first trans State Senator in American History.

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Published 15 July 2019 3:22pm
Updated 15 July 2019 3:25pm
By Samuel Leighton-Dore


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