WASHINGTON, DC - Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride made history Friday when she was sworn in as the first transgender member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rep. McBride said “Today, I felt a deep sense of pride and responsibility as I was sworn in as Delaware’s Congresswoman to the 119th Congress."
The freshman congresswoman added, “No matter what county you live in or who you voted for, my office will be dedicated to serving the people of Delaware with a service-first mindset.”
Rep. McBride had to wait a little while for her big moment, first, the house had to hold a vote for Speaker. Republican Mike Johnson of Louisiana looked like he was going to be just shy of the votes he would need to hold onto his Speakership on the first ballot after three of his fellow Republicans voted against him. However, the vote was held open and Johnson was able to convince Representative Keith Self (R) of Texas and Representative Ralph Norman (R) of North Carolina to switch their votes after the end of the initial roll call.
Those changes helped Johnson get the 218 votes he needed to remain Speaker of the House on the first ballot. Ultimately, Thomas Massie (R) of Kentucky was the only Republican holdout. While Speaker Johnson earned his victory, Friday's showdown is emblematic of how slim the margin is for his party in the House of Representatives.
Once the speakership was decided the House was able to move forward with the day's scheduled swearing-in ceremonies.
Rep. McBride grew up in Wilmington and from 2020-2025 she served as State Senator for the First State Senate District. She worked for former Governor Jack Markell and the late Attorney General Beau Biden, and served as the national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ equal rights organization.