The Delaware state Senator says that she is used to working with legislators who “voted against my rights”.

Equality PAC, a campaign arm of the Congressional Equality Caucus, gathered for its annual gala in Washington, D.C., on June.

Sarah McBride recalled that night as being “intense”, because her Democratic primary opponent had pulled out of the race to fill Delaware’s House at-large seat earlier in the day. McBride, then, was about to make history. If she won the solidly-blue seat in November – which she is likely to do – she would become the first transgender congressperson.

“We’re expanding LGBTQ representation in a way that was unimaginable during most of the history of our country.” Ritchie Torres, co-chair of Equality PAC, pointed to McBride on stage as the audience gave her a standing ovation.