Sarah McBride reflects on her historic journey to Capitol Hill with Chris Hayes

In the wake of a bruising, polarizing election season that ended with President-elect Donald Trump, the 34-time convicted felon who was impeached twice in his first term, emerging victorious over Vice President Kamala Harris, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes offered viewers a moment of humanity and introspection in his interview with Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride. McBride, the 34-year-old Delaware state senator who made history as the first out transgender person elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, emerged as both a symbol of resilience and a powerful voice for LGBTQ+ representation. Hayes engaged in a candid, profoundly personal dialogue about her victory and the growing backlash against transgender rights.

From the outset, Hayes noted McBride’s win as “one of the historic bright spots” of an election dominated by divisive attacks, especially on the transgender community. In swing states, the Trump campaign and GOP spent an astounding $215 million on anti-transgender ads, attempting to stoke fear and sway undecided voters. In the first Trump administration, the former president banned transgender people from serving in the U.S. Military.

“The absolutely disgusting anti-trans ads that Trump blanketed the swing states with didn’t work,” Hayes observed, citing reports that such messaging backfired in key areas. This data aligns with a new post-election poll from the Human Rights Campaign, which showed that 81 percent of Equality Voters and 84 percent of LGBTQ+ voters supported Harris and rejected theGOP’s dark vision of America.

McBride acknowledged the emotional complexity of her win. “It was an evening of a lot of mixed emotions,” she reflected. “I am so incredibly grateful to Delaware, the state that helped raise me and shape me into the person that I am.”

As the conversation shifted to the mechanics of her campaign, Hayes asked McBride how she managed to connect with voters across the political spectrum. Her answer was simple and powerful: “People judge candidates based on their ideas, not their identities.” McBride’s campaign focused on policies that resonated with her constituents, including affordable healthcare, paid family leave, and expanded Medicaid. “We put forward a positive, inclusive message during the course of this year-and-a-half-long campaign,” she said. “And I think voters really responded to that.”

Hayes played one of McBride’s campaign ads, a straightforward pitch that set itself apart from the fear-driven ads dominating national airwaves. “That’s a damn good ad,” Hayes quipped, admiring its clarity and purpose. McBride smiled, explaining that the ad “reflected the diverse coalition that we built across the state” and addressed what she was hearing on the ground: “the cost of childcare, the cost of housing, the cost of healthcare.” The hateful anti-trans rhetoric, she explained, wasn’t a priority for her constituents.

Hayes shared his frustration at the barrage of anti-trans ads, confessing, “I got trans folks in my life that I love dearly and want to stand in solidarity with them. I was upset and ticked off and viscerally just really wound up every time I saw one of those GD ads.”

McBride responded by describing a “crisis of hope” facing many LGBTQ+ Americans, particularly transgender people. “Those ads were part of a long-term strategy by the far-right wing… to pick a small and vulnerable, misunderstood community to fearmonger and scapegoat,” she said. She viewed these attacks as deliberate distractions from the real issues shaping voters’ lives.

The latest HRC poll backs McBride’s perspective. Only four percent of voters ranked anti-trans issues as important in their decision-making, indicating the limits of such ads.

Hayes noted, “We’re going to spend the next days and weeks and months diagnosing the reasons Trump won this election, but we should not do is buy into the framing that anti-trans hysteria was a winning issue.”

The conversation took a hopeful turn as McBride described Delaware’s unique political culture, where civility and unity prevail despite ideological differences. She recounted Delaware’s “Return Day,” a post-election ritual where candidates from all parties literally bury a hatchet, symbolizing the end of political rivalry. “It really reflects our approach to politics in Delaware,” she explained. “We are able to see our fellow citizens as neighbors, not as enemies.”

Reflecting on McBride’s impact, GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis emphasized how McBride’s victory exemplifies the power of personal connection in combating misinformation about transgender people. “Representative-elect Sarah McBride’s solid win again proved that the most powerful antidote to misinformation about transgender people is getting to know transgender people themselves,” Ellis said in a statement to The Advocate. “Representative McBride has made a name for herself in Delaware by meeting voters and sharing her personal story about who she is and what she stands for; she similarly showcased her humanity and values during this interview.”

Ellis emphasized the importance of media platforms like MSNBC’s focus on transgender voices: “Trans people are our neighbors, colleagues, family, friends, and yes, our elected officials.” For Ellis, McBride’s candid, value-driven approach during the interview highlighted how media can bridge the gap for viewers who have yet to meet a trans person in real life. “We know 70 percent of Americans say they haven’t haven’t yet met a trans person. Meeting a trans person through thoughtful, inclusive news coverage goes a long way,” she explained.

She urged mainstream media outlets to include trans voices in their coverage and to check facts around anti-trans campaigns carefully. “Respect trans people not just as subjects of your story, but critical sources with much-needed perspectives,” Ellis said. “When journalism is fair, accurate, and inclusive, it isn’t just viewers and readers who win, all Americans win.”

Watch Chris Hayes’ remarkable interview with Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride below.

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