As it often goes, much of our political attention in 2020 was laser-focussed on the presidential race, so much so that we haven't adequately celebrated the history-making strides women politicians made [1] on the local and national level during the pivotal election year. In fact, a record number of women (144, to be exact) are currently serving in the Senate and House of Representatives, comprising 27 percent of Congress [2].
There's certainly room for much improvement on that number — women make up 50.8 percent of the US population as a whole, after all — but it's a noticeable increase from the mere 96 congresswomen who were elected to serve just a decade ago. Plus, there are dozens more recently sworn-in women mayors, state senators, and governors making an impact on their communities right this very moment.
So, who are some of these glass-ceiling smashers, and what issues are they tackling while in office? We're glad you asked, because we're shining a well-deserved spotlight on seven newly elected women politicians in honour of Women's History Month. Ahead, learn all about the openly transgender state senator pushing for affordable healthcare, the representative who filled the late John Lewis's congressional seat, the Muslim county commissioner helping her constituents thrive, and many others.
Sarah McBride, Delaware State Senator
Notable Distinctions
- First openly transgender state senator
- Highest-ranking transgender elected official in the nation
- First openly transgender speaker at a major party convention (2016 Democratic National Convention)
Issues She's Passionate About
McBride's list of accomplishments in activism and politics could rival the length of a CVS receipt . . . and we all know how long those can be. At just 22 years old, and one year after interning in the White House under the Obama-Biden administration, she led the fight to pass Delaware's first law protecting transgender individuals from discrimination [4]. In the years that followed, McBride collaborated with state leaders to expand healthcare covered by Medicaid in Delaware, helped pass legislation protecting at-risk youth from child abuse, and published a book, Tomorrow Will Be Different [5].
Formerly the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, McBride is now focussed on paid medical and family leave, public-school support, criminal-justice reform, common-sense gun-safety laws, and affordable healthcare. The last of those issues became especially personal for McBride when her late husband, Andrew, lost his battle to cancer just days after they wed in 2014. Since taking office, she has worked with colleagues to introduce legislation regarding paid leave for all and increased dental-care access, to name a few.
How to Stay Updated on News About Her
Follow her on Instagram (@sarahemcbride [6]), Twitter (@SarahEMcBride [7]), and Facebook (@SarahEMcBrideDE [8]), and check out her page on the Delaware General Assembly website [9].