[FOX NEWS] - Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride projected to become first transgender member of Congress: AP

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Sarah McBride, a Delaware state senator, is projected to become the first openly transgender lawmaker elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, according to The Associated Press. 

McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen III Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office.

"Thank you, Delaware! Because of your votes and your values, I am proud to be your next member of Congress," McBride wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Tuesday night. 

"Delaware has sent the message loud and clear that we must be a country that protects reproductive freedom, that guarantees paid leave and affordable child care for all our families, that ensures that housing and health care are available to everyone and that this is a democracy that is big enough for all of us."

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McBride has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country. The progressive lawmaker has also taken a firm stance against legislative bans on transgender people in sports. 

McBride achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the U.S.

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McBride 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, has argued there needs to be more diverse representation in Congress.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

The Associated Press and Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.