The state’s Democratic Senator Sarah McBride will face Republican John Whalen III for Delaware’s congressional seat in November’s election.
If elected, McBride would be the first transgender person to hold federal office and the youngest elected official Delaware has sent to Washington since Joe Biden won a Senate seat in 1972.
McBride easily defeated two political newcomers in the Democratic primary, which was called shortly after polls closed on Tuesday.
In her victory speech on Tuesday night, McBride said: “Our rights and our freedoms, our dignity and our democracy are at stake in this election.”
“Tonight we celebrate our victory in the primary, but we all know our work is far from over and we know what is at stake in this election,” McBride said.
Whalen, a political newcomer, defeated Donyale Hall in the Republican primary held later Tuesday night. Whalen did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday night.
The winner of the November general election will fill the congressional seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who on Tuesday emerged as the Democratic nominee to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Tom Carper.
Statistically, McBride is the favorite to win against both Republicans in November. There are nearly 150,000 registered Democrats in Delaware and more Republican voters.
McBride previously worked as national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights group, and gained national attention when she became the first openly transgender person to speak at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
McBride, a Wilmington native, was elected to the Delaware Senate in 2020. During the campaign, she touted her successful advocacy for statewide family and medical leave legislation in the state House of Representatives.
Whalen has not held political office and entered the race after Hall, a veteran Republican campaigner. Whalen is a Wilmington native and Millsboro resident. He retired after a 20-year career with the Delaware State Police and started a home-building company.
In his campaign, he focused on popular conservative issues such as illegal immigration, the national debt and what he describes on his website as the “war on fossil fuels.”
McBride also has a huge lead over Whalen in fundraising heading into November.
As of August 21, McBride had raised $2.9 million and had $1.7 million unused. During the same period, Whalen had reported $2,300 in donations, an $8,300 loan to his campaign. His campaign has about $2,300 in cash on hand.
Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or [email protected].
