Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride has won reelection to the state's lone U.S. House seat, defeating Republican challenger Joseph Arminio in Tuesday's general election. The Associated Press called the race at 8:50 p.m., with McBride holding about 68% of the vote as roughly 35% of ballots had been counted statewide.
The win extends a Democratic hold on Delaware's at-large House seat that stretches back to 2010, according to WHYY. McBride first won the seat in 2024, becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, and she was seeking a second consecutive term against Arminio in Tuesday's matchup, as 6abc Philadelphia reported following ABC News' projection of her victory.
A Rematch Shaped by a Surprise Primary
Arminio earned his spot on the ballot after a primary upset in September, when he defeated John Whalen and Earl Cooper for the GOP nomination. The outcome drew comparisons from the station's report to Scott Walker's win in the same Republican primary back in 2018, a parallel that underscored just how unexpected Arminio's rise through the party's ranks had been.
McBride's 2024 vote share provided a point of comparison going into the general election. In 2024, she had clinched 58% of the vote, per the account from the Delaware election-day coverage, so the reported 68% share on election night suggested a wider margin than her initial victory, even as full vote totals were still being tallied.
McBride Points to Constituent Work and Affordability Push
Heading into the campaign, McBride highlighted the work of her congressional office, saying it had returned more than $8 million to Delaware residents through constituent advocacy. She framed her bid for a second term around pocketbook concerns, saying her agenda would focus on affordability, from health care and child care to housing and everyday expenses, the same report noted.
Those themes featured prominently in how the campaign presented itself to voters statewide ahead of the Nov. 3 election. With the seat now secured for another term, McBride is positioned to carry that affordability-focused platform into her second stint representing the entire state in the U.S. House.
