Sarah McBride Honors Late Husband as She Becomes First Trans Person Elected to Congress: 'A Love Letter' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sarah McBridehas made history.The Democratic politician, a Delaware state senator since January 2021, will become the first transgender member of Congress after defeating her Republican opponent, John Whalen III, in Delaware’s at-large House district.“The results are a testament to Delawareans who have demonstrated that they are judging candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride, 34, tells PEOPLE about her historic win.Sarah McBride campaigning.COURTESY Sarah McBride CAMPAIGN“I know how much it would have meant for me as a kid to see something like this happen, but I didn’t run to make history with an election, I ran to help make historic progress in Congress for all Delawareans on all of the issues that matter," she adds.Reflecting on her initial interest in politics, McBride describes it as “forged in a crisis of hope.”“It was a crisis of hope rooted in the fact that I felt alone, that the heart of this country was not big enough to love someone like me, rooted in the perception that my government didn’t see and respect me, that society wasn’t built for someone like me to succeed,” the politician says.“In that crisis of hope,” she continues, “I went searching for solutions.”Describing herself as a “pretty significant nerd,” McBride spent her free time growing up reading “every single book that I could conceivably get my hands on” about politics.Sarah McBride, the first trans member of Congress.McBride for Delaware, Inc.“I found a little glimmer of hope because I saw that the through line of our history is the story of advocates, activists and a handful of courageous elected officials working together to right the wrongs of our past, to address injustice, to bring people from the shadows and the margins of society into the circle of opportunity,” she says. “And I found hope in that story, and I got involved.”As McBride’s career progressed, she began to realize that her dream of becoming a prominent figure in politics as a transgender woman was not only possible but achievable.“I came out to my parents in 2011 thinking there was just not going to be a place for me in politics, in government,” the congresswoman-elect recalls.Sarah McBride, the first trans member of Congress.McBride for Delaware, Inc.“Slowly but surely, as I came out to my parents and my family and my close friends, I started to gain a level of confidence that, maybe as understandable as the fears were, they weren’t unfounded.”Working in the state Senate, and soon in Congress, means collaborating with individuals who have voted against LGBTQ+ rights — an experience McBride acknowledges is “hurtful.” But she’s prepared to face these challenges head-on.“My job is to deliver, and that means working with people who disagree with some fundamental things that I hold dear, but that’s the only way democracy works,” McBride tells PEOPLE.She adds, “It’s not always easy, and I certainly wish that they voted differently. I certainly wish that they saw the dignity in LGBTQ people in our lives, but I have to do the job and the job is to roll up my sleeves, dive into the details and bring people together.”While McBride has accomplished much of this work independently, she credits others for their advice and support along the way, particularly her late husband, Andrew Cray, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who died from oral cancer in 2014, just four days after their wedding.“For me, the way Andy lived was such a profound example of the notion that kindness is never the wrong answer,” McBride says. “My work in the legislature has been a love letter to Andy in so many ways. I carry him with me every single day, both in those lessons that I’ve learned from him, but also in the values and policies that I fight for as a legislator.”Another significant influence in McBride’s life was her longtime friend and former Delaware Attorney GeneralBeau Biden, PresidentJoe Biden’s late son, whodied from cancerin 2015.“Not only did Beau love and support me when I came out, but he also, alongside Jack Markell, put his own political muscle and capital on the line to help pass the non-discrimination bill that I worked on in 2013. And in so many ways, President Biden has continued Beau’s legacy.”Now that she has made history, McBride hopes to inspire LGBTQ+ individuals to recognize their worth and believes that, with determination, she won’t be the last transgender person in this position.“We do have a place in our democracy and the heart of this nation is big enough to love all of us as long as we continue to work for it, as long as we continue to step up and as long as we continue to fight for it,” she tells PEOPLE. “The only way I can guarantee that I’m not the last is for me to quite simply be the best member of Congress that I can be.”

Sarah McBridehas made history.

The Democratic politician, a Delaware state senator since January 2021, will become the first transgender member of Congress after defeating her Republican opponent, John Whalen III, in Delaware’s at-large House district.

“The results are a testament to Delawareans who have demonstrated that they are judging candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride, 34, tells PEOPLE about her historic win.

Sarah McBride campaigning.COURTESY Sarah McBride CAMPAIGN

“I know how much it would have meant for me as a kid to see something like this happen, but I didn’t run to make history with an election, I ran to help make historic progress in Congress for all Delawareans on all of the issues that matter,” she adds.

Reflecting on her initial interest in politics, McBride describes it as “forged in a crisis of hope.”

“It was a crisis of hope rooted in the fact that I felt alone, that the heart of this country was not big enough to love someone like me, rooted in the perception that my government didn’t see and respect me, that society wasn’t built for someone like me to succeed,” the politician says.“In that crisis of hope,” she continues, “I went searching for solutions.”

Describing herself as a “pretty significant nerd,” McBride spent her free time growing up reading “every single book that I could conceivably get my hands on” about politics.

Sarah McBride, the first trans member of Congress.McBride for Delaware, Inc.

McBride for Delaware, Inc.

“I found a little glimmer of hope because I saw that the through line of our history is the story of advocates, activists and a handful of courageous elected officials working together to right the wrongs of our past, to address injustice, to bring people from the shadows and the margins of society into the circle of opportunity,” she says. “And I found hope in that story, and I got involved.”

As McBride’s career progressed, she began to realize that her dream of becoming a prominent figure in politics as a transgender woman was not only possible but achievable.

“I came out to my parents in 2011 thinking there was just not going to be a place for me in politics, in government,” the congresswoman-elect recalls.

“Slowly but surely, as I came out to my parents and my family and my close friends, I started to gain a level of confidence that, maybe as understandable as the fears were, they weren’t unfounded.”

Working in the state Senate, and soon in Congress, means collaborating with individuals who have voted against LGBTQ+ rights — an experience McBride acknowledges is “hurtful.” But she’s prepared to face these challenges head-on.

“My job is to deliver, and that means working with people who disagree with some fundamental things that I hold dear, but that’s the only way democracy works,” McBride tells PEOPLE.

She adds, “It’s not always easy, and I certainly wish that they voted differently. I certainly wish that they saw the dignity in LGBTQ people in our lives, but I have to do the job and the job is to roll up my sleeves, dive into the details and bring people together.”

While McBride has accomplished much of this work independently, she credits others for their advice and support along the way, particularly her late husband, Andrew Cray, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who died from oral cancer in 2014, just four days after their wedding.

“For me, the way Andy lived was such a profound example of the notion that kindness is never the wrong answer,” McBride says. “My work in the legislature has been a love letter to Andy in so many ways. I carry him with me every single day, both in those lessons that I’ve learned from him, but also in the values and policies that I fight for as a legislator.”

Another significant influence in McBride’s life was her longtime friend and former Delaware Attorney GeneralBeau Biden, PresidentJoe Biden’s late son, whodied from cancerin 2015.

“Not only did Beau love and support me when I came out, but he also, alongside Jack Markell, put his own political muscle and capital on the line to help pass the non-discrimination bill that I worked on in 2013. And in so many ways, President Biden has continued Beau’s legacy.”

Now that she has made history, McBride hopes to inspire LGBTQ+ individuals to recognize their worth and believes that, with determination, she won’t be the last transgender person in this position.

“We do have a place in our democracy and the heart of this nation is big enough to love all of us as long as we continue to work for it, as long as we continue to step up and as long as we continue to fight for it,” she tells PEOPLE. “The only way I can guarantee that I’m not the last is for me to quite simply be the best member of Congress that I can be.”

source: people.com