Sarah McBride

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The Democratic incumbent will serve a second term after campaigning on affordability, health care access and protecting workers. Dems have held the seat since 2010.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride has won reelection to Delaware’s lone U.S. House seat, defeating Republican challenger Joseph Arminio in Tuesday’s general election.

The Associated Press called the race for McBride at 8:50 p.m. As of 8:50 p.m., McBride currently has about 68% of the vote, with about 35% of the ballots counted.

McBride’s victory gives her a second consecutive term representing Delaware in Congress. First elected in 2024, she became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. Democrats have held Delaware’s at-large House seat since 2010.

The race focused on the economy, health care, immigration and U.S. foreign policy. McBride campaigned on lowering the cost of living and expanding access to services for working families, while Arminio argued that private and public debt are major drivers of the country’s economic challenges.

At a Democratic Party watch party along Wilmington’s Riverfront, candidates gathered Tuesday night to await election results and address supporters. One by one, nominees took the podium to speak to the crowd. U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride addressed the room following her reelection, pointing to what she described as Delaware’s growing commitment to judging candidates by their ideas rather than their identities.

“Tonight, thanks to a super majority of Delawareans, including majorities in all three counties, everyone can see what I see every single day: that Delawareans are compassionate people, that we are fair-minded, that we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride said. “That is the Delaware that I know. That is the Delaware that I love and that is the state that I will get to continue to serve in the United States House of Representatives.”

McBride also connected the results in Delaware to broader national debates over immigration enforcement, saying voters support border security alongside a humane immigration system.

“I believe that tonight’s results not just here in Delaware, but across the country reinforce that the American people believe that yes, we should have secure borders, but we should have a humane immigration system that follows the law,” she said. “I hope that Congress will hold the administration’s feet to the fire and ensure that federal immigration enforcement officers at a minimum are required to follow the same rules and same requirements and the same guardrails as local and state law enforcement.”

McBride also reflected on the priorities she hopes to advance in Washington during her second term, pointing to the need for a more accountable approach to federal immigration enforcement.

“My North Star at this moment is lowering the cost of health care, housing, childcare, gas and groceries,” McBride told WHYY News in an interview last month. “That means reversing the food assistance and health care cuts. It means leading the charge toward universal health coverage and affordable childcare for every family who needs it. It means building the homes of tomorrow that make homeownership within reach.”

McBride also said Congress needs to address how emerging technologies affect workers and hold the Trump administration accountable for its foreign policy decisions.

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During her first term in the House, McBride said she worked with U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester to bring federal investments and grants to Delaware for infrastructure, schools, health clinics, roads and bridges. She also said her office returned more than $8 million to Delaware residents through constituent advocacy.

Before entering Congress, McBride served in the Delaware Senate, where she worked on legislation including the state’s paid family and medical leave program. She also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

In his campaign against McBride, Arminio focused on the economy, arguing that high levels of private and public debt are making it harder for families to afford basic necessities. He repeatedly pointed to the cost of food and gasoline and said debt is a central problem that policymakers have failed to address.

“The economy’s in very bad shape. We’re suffering from crushing private and public debt. So your typical family is having a hard time making ends meet,” Arminio told WHYY News during the campaign.

Arminio campaigned on a proposed American Prosperity Plan, which suggested a modern debt jubilee, government-issued currency he called greenbacks and the creation of an American infrastructure bank. He said the proposals could reduce debt, help families manage their finances and support projects such as infrastructure improvements and affordable housing.

His campaign also emphasized foreign policy. Arminio called for reducing U.S. involvement in overseas wars and strengthening Congress’ authority over decisions to use military force.

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