Retired state police officer James Whalen won a GOP primary and is now on a path to take on trans Democrat Sarah McBride in a general election for Delaware’s House seat.
Whalen has a steep hill to climb to become the first Republican to hold a statewide office in Delaware since 2010.
Now the GOP victor will likely take on McBride, who ran in her primary virtually unopposed as the only candidate to raise any funds in the race.
McBride already became the first-ever transgender state senator in the U.S. after winning election to the Delaware Senate in 2020. The activist-turned politician, 33, argues there needs to be more diverse representation in Congress.
MCBRIDE ANNOUNCES BID TO BECOME FIRST TREANS MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Delaware’s House seat has been held by Democrats since 2010. President Joe Biden won the state over President Donald Trump by 19 points.
MCBRIDE BECOMES FIRST TRANSGENDER STATE SENATOR
McBride's candidacy comes amid a fierce national debate over transgender policies, especially as they relate to minors. Republican states over the past few years have passed legislation banning or limiting gender transition services for minors, citing long-term health impacts.
Many female athletes have pushed lawmakers to require transgender people to compete on sports teams according to their biological gender.
McBride argues the legislative push is an example of "far-right" extremism.
"In 2020, I became the first openly trans person elected to serve as a State Senator anywhere in the country. It really felt like America was blazing a path to the future. But since then, the far-right has tried to use the LGBTQ community as a scapegoat for their policy failures," McBride wrote on Twitter. "As they’ve increased their attacks on families and kids, it has become even clearer: for our democracy to work, it needs to include all of us. If elected, I’ll be the first openly trans member in Congress."
