Sarah McBride Launches Bid for House Democratic Leadership
If reelected in November, the Delaware congresswoman hopes to help shape House Democrats' messaging as a committee co-chair.
Just ahead of formally securing the Democratic nomination earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first out transgender member of Congress, announced her intention to run for a leadership role within the House Democratic Caucus.
In a September 14 letter, McBride asked her House Democratic colleagues to support her bid to become a co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, which develops messaging for the caucus.
Axios congressional reporter Andrew Solender shared a copy of the letter on X, writing: “Rep. Sarah McBride makes it official: She’s running for leadership. Specifically co-chair of House Democrats’ messaging arm.”
“Since before I was sworn in, I have been grounded by and grateful for the genuine support members of this caucus show for one another,” McBride wrote in her letter. “What I have taken from it is that our collective strength is precisely what will win us the majority and allow us to pass an agenda that makes life more affordable for the people we represent.”
McBride said she wants the caucus to “hit the ground running with a unified message” in 2027, while acknowledging the “increasingly complex media environment” the party must navigate.
The congresswoman cited her experience as national press secretary and spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign from 2016 to 2020, before her successful run for the Delaware State Senate.
She cast herself as a party unifier and conciliator with experience finding common ground on HRC’s priorities.
“We didn’t shame those who disagreed with us,” McBride wrote. “We welcomed them into a conversation about where we agreed and found common ground to build upon.”
McBride argued that she has taken a similar approach in Congress, facilitating conversations among members divided by ideology, geography, or the politics of their districts.
“I never asked a colleague to use a message that didn’t fit their district, while also standing firm in our shared principles and what we were trying to accomplish together,” she wrote. “That experience reinforced something critical: a big-tent party can hold both of those things at once, but only if we’re willing to have honest conversations with each other first.”
If elected co-chair, McBride said she would help develop tailored messaging that allows House Democrats to communicate the party’s priorities and values while reflecting the concerns of voters in their districts.
She also wants to train legislative staff to identify media outlets that can reach key audiences and prepare members for long-form interviews with podcasters and streamers who serve as news sources for large swaths of Americans.
Finally, McBride wants to use the position to draw greater attention to members’ events and outreach efforts in their home districts. She has proposed inviting national journalists and media influencers to accompany members at an event or for a full day, giving them a closer look at lawmakers’ work on behalf of their constituents.
McBride faces Republican Joseph Arminio in November’s general election as she seeks a second term representing Delaware’s at-large congressional district.
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