Sarah McBride Representative in Congress Candidacy Conversation | The Agenda

the agenda is powered by Dart Delaware's Transit service moving forward [Music] Kerwin gains here host of the agenda thank you so much for tuning in yet again the summer is a moving it's almost over actually unfortunately but fortunately the election season is here and the candidates are coming through and as promised we are bringing you candidates uh to the show and letting them tell you all the things that they're supporting to ensure that your issues are heard first right here on the agenda tonight it's no different no difference whatsoever we have our currently our state representative uh Miss Sarah McBride welcome to the show good to be back thanks so much for having me and I'm ready for fall so happy fall you know what fall is my season too I I mean I love summer but it just seems like fall Fall's a good thing I'm I'm a shoulder season person spring and fall are my Seasons okay okay well hopefully uh the primary next week will be your season um for you and there's other people running as well and we wish them all the best of luck and everything that they're doing but uh we're excited to see you on the ballot and moving forward and taking advantage of opportunities we're also excited that you're back again we were trying to figure out um which episode that you were on First and how many times you've been back but thank you this is I believe your third or fourth time here on the agenda thank you so much for returning we appreciate it thanks for having me back I have to ask some questions I need to know and and I have them in order here but Sarah what is your motivation to run I mean I everybody's not everyone's patriotic I know you are I know you love this country I know you love this state but for all the things that are going on in this country and let's be honest for obvious reason it's it's going to be it's going to be hard why do you want to do this you know it's funny one of the one of the most frequent questions I get is people going to me why on Earth would you want to go to the United States House of Representatives um because it is a dumpster fire yeah but at a certain point we've got to run into the fire we have to make government work better for people and we obviously have big shoes to fill as congresswoman Lisa blunt Rochester runs for the US Senate and will almost definitely be the next US senator from the state of Delaware she leaves big shoes to fill in her seat and Delaware only sends one person to the United States House of Representatives we have to send someone who's ready on day one to hit the ground running and deliver for Delaware to take on big issues and deliver meaningful policies meaningful progress and meaningful investment to our state that's exactly what I've done in the Delaware State Senate where I passed Paid Family and Medical Leave where I helped raise the minimum wage where I just in June passed the large larest ongoing investment in healthcare in Delaware since Obamacare passed in 2010 and where I've been able to do all of that work with bipartisan support and bipartisan collaboration that's one of the reasons why Lisa blunt Rochester has endorsed me to succeed her it's one of the reasons why Senator Carper and Senator Coons have endorsed my campaign because they know I'm ready I'm ready to deliver for Delaware and Congress I'm ready to address the affordability crisis that our neighbors face by delivering historic investments in affordable housing by guaranteeing affordable child care and health care for every person and family in this state by passing the kind of Common Sense gun violence prevention measures I've helped led the charge on in the Delaware general assembly and by helping to protect reproductive freedom in the state when it's under attack at the federal level and so that's why I'm running because it is a mess Congress is dysfunctional and we've got to send people who have a proven track record of rolling up their sleeves diving into the details bringing people people together and delivering real and Lasting progress for delawarians how are you going to make this bipartisan Isle Reaching Across grinning and bearing it biting the insides of your cheeks when you hear horrible things how are you going to make that happen well look democracy only works if we can have conversations across disagreement if we can find common ground and yes compromise where necessary and where appropriate it's what I've done in the Delaware General Assembly where nearly every bill that I have introduced and passed from big issues like gun safety and paid family and medical leave to issues around Health Care access were nearly every Bill I've been able to pass with bipartisan support it's what I did even before my time in the Delaware General Assembly when I served as the national spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign and in that role helped draft introduce and pass through the US House of Representatives in 2019 the first comprehensive Civil Rights bill to pass a chamber of Congress something we did with bipartisan support even in the era of trump and look we've got we've got sort of a recency bias right now we we we look at the toxicity and the negative and and and divisive rhetoric in our politics in the election season and we forget that for for the first two years of the Biden Harris Administration the President and Vice President delivered really tangible significant progress many instances with bipartisan support so it can be done I've done it here in Delaware I've done it in Congress as an advocate the president and vice president have done it in just the last four years I believe it can be done again in 2025 okay I want to read you something I want to get it right okay believe it or not this is from Advocate magazine there was an article written about you McBride emphasized that her campaign is about making history and creating meaningful change this is a direct quote from you well I'm not running to make history with an election I'm running to make historic change of all issues that matter mhm so I mean some of that has to do with um being the first transgender um person in the house I mean you've done it here in the state how much of an impact do you think that is and do I I know for a fact you don't want that to overcome the things that you're doing in the house or you will be doing in the house or and definitely the things that you've accomplished here in the state but um very interested to know your thoughts on this sure well as I say in that article I'm not running to make history with an election I'm running to make historic progress for Delaware and for the American people I I'm running to make progress on Paid Family and Medical Leave and affordable child care on health care and and housing on gun safety and reproductive Freedom those are the issues that I focused on in the Delaware General Assembly those are the issues that I'll focus on in Congress there's no question that diversity in government is critical uh it's not just the sign of a healthy democ democracy that everyone can fully participate it's also necessary to craft effective solutions for a diverse country I I'm proud of who I am I'm proud of all that I bring to the table but my focus in Congress will be on delivering on all of the issues that matter the issues that are actually keeping delawarians up at night and frankly all the other stuff it doesn't matter unless I am being the best member of Congress that I can be and showing people that no matter who you are are or what your background is the most important thing is that your ideas and not your identity the most important thing is on whether you can deliver for people not your gender and that's the only way that I can guarantee that while I may be a first I'm not the last and it's the only way I can guarantee that Delaware is getting the kind of quality representation that we've had from Lisa blunt Rochester in the house moving forward and it's it's that attitude that I love because what keeps me up at night I'm going to be very honest is the economy but the part of the economy that repres present the job market we we've made a joke off air and never trust a poll right you always have to be careful I understand that there's been um plenty of rhetoric about oh the job market is still healthy and the economy is healthy I'm in it still I'm still dealing with it I see that the job openings are less uh for me in the tech industry it is not what it was a year to two years ago um I know that it can be again but I know a lot of it is due to interest rates and finance and people not being able to fund capital projects and all these other things this is affecting the overall economy and I have a feeling that you mentioned it's going to be a that you're ready to take on the job day one I have a feeling that if rates don't lower on the 18th of September it's definitely going to be a job day one issue for whomever uh takes office in January well there's no question that interest rates need to come down and I am cautiously optimistic that as we continue to see inflation come down as we continue to to see progress on that front that with sustained progress there we will see interest rates come down because to your point it's necessary it's necessary for everyone uh who's trying to buy a home to everyone who's trying to start a business and if we can't get interest rates Down and Under Control um we're not going to see the kind of growth that we need to see in this country um we're not going to see people being able to buy their first house we're not going to be able to see people start that great new business idea that they have um and so I'm cautiously optimistic we'll see the rates come down um from the FED but there's still more work to do even if interest rates come down we know that still far too many people are struggling under the weight of uh high costs from gas and groceries to Health Care and housing and child care and it will be my top priority to bring down costs facing families it's it's what I've done in the general assembly bringing down costs around prescription drugs making sure that more people can access a quality provider at a lower uh price point making sure that we're paying people better making sure that people have the benefits that they need bringing down out-of-pocket expenses for child care um helping to to pass budgets that have the largest investment in affordable housing in our state's history all of these efforts at the state level have to be met with progress at the federal level because ultimately we can't address this affordability crisis if we don't make the federal government work better and adopt those types of policies r large we can address housing costs if we don't address the housing uh shortage we can't address the cost of child care if we don't have significant investment from the federal government that helps to expand the child care infrastructure so that not only are there more providers but we see people who are trying to get their kid into Child Care be able to actually get a spot rather than having to get on a weight list that never ends um we can we can limit out-of-pocket expenses for Working Families when they're accessing child care with Federal investment and on the small business front I'm really excited about the proposal by vice president Harris to put our nation on a path toward $5,000 small business tax credit right now it's only $5,000 she has a a plan to bring it to 25 uh to $25,000 in the shorter term and to put us on a path toward a $50,000 small business tax credit so that entrepreneurs can get the support that they need to invest in uh the technology and The Upfront cost the infrastructure they need to build their business um and I think all of these things met with lower interest rates will really unleash the full potential of our economy the full potential of our families and our Workforce yeah I I'm hoping that it does because I'm worried I what I don't want as another citizen is I don't want to hear oh well we have to stimulate the economy yet again I mean that's kind of what's got us into the situation and and we're not at the point where we're uh getting closer to recession or anything like that I want to make that very clear but at the same time we do need to energize our economy some how some way so whomever is in DC is going to have to make those really really tough decisions well and and and look it's it's a great it's a great point and one of the things we consistently heard um during the last four years was that we had to choose between investing in working families and keeping inflation low that's not true we can invest in Working Families while maintaining low interest uh low uh inflation rates we we know that we can pass what the president proposed in 2021 called the build back better act to invest in affordable housing home care and Elder Care affordable child care paid family medical leave we can do all of that with pay fors m without taxing anyone making under $400,000 a year but by by getting revenue from the wealthiest Americans we can invest in working people without putting that inflation rate at risk and do you how much of the president's agenda the current president pres are great president President Biden agenda is going to move forward do you think with if in fact uh vice president Harris is elected build back better plan which is great I mean there was a lot of great things that came out of this Administration but how much of that is going to flow Beyond January I mean really well obviously a lot depends on the outcome of the election it does and and I do want to step back because I think as we talk about the election you brought up Joe Biden and I was just at the Democratic National Convention and and was all over news it was a really exciting exciting event and the first night the Delaware delegation was really proud that the convention came together to celebrate Joe Biden um to celebrate him for a lifetime of service to celebrate his transformational presidency and to celebrate the man who made one of the most historically selfless decisions that we've ever seen in politics to pass the Baton to a new generation of leadership and endorse kamla Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president and I think with that historically selfless decision Joe Biden and KLA Harris and Tim Walls have Unleashed a new energy in the Democratic party that I think enhance our capacity to win the presidency with k Harris and Tim Walls enhance our capacity to flip the House of Representatives and elect Hakeem Jeff uh the next speaker of the house and enhance and this is going to be the hardest part of it all enhance our capacity to keep the Senate keep a democratic majority in the Senate but if we do that which which we can if we do that then I am confident that we will be able to pass all of the pieces that I just mentioned that fell out of the build back better act that didn't make it through to the final bill as it was whittel down to the inflation reduction act which was still a significant step forward on issues like climate and health care but I believe that if we win this election we can pick those pieces up from the negotiating room floor and deliver the kinds of investment in our care infrastructure that families and working people need because we have loan forgiveness well I think there's there's absolutely if you're putting together a Christmas list I I want to make sure that it's on I don't think yeah that's fair I don't think I don't think what I just said is a Christmas list I think it's very very doable I think it's very doable and we can do it without um with a with with 50 votes in the Senate as long as we have the vice president uh student loan repayment I I think might require a higher vote threshold to get through I'm certainly supportive of student loan repayment that helps to alleviate the challenges that working people who've who are who are just drowning under student loan debt um are facing um I think I think the president and the vice president have have set forth I think a really thoughtful balance in making sure we're addressing student loans for those who really need it without writing a blank check to folks who went to Yale and are making seven figures as attorneys in New York City yeah and I think that's the right path forward I want to be honest with you I first of all I'm not making 7 figures okay second thing is I'm going to have three children all in college at the same time you know this for a fact right so what do you say to a parent like me where and and this is the best part and the worst part they're all really smart so I know where they're going so tell me what what words of encouragement from a borrowing perspective can you give to a parent in my situation that the federal government needs to step up and address student loan precisely for parents like you and students like your children um to your point let's take a a parent right now uh who's still struggling under student loans struggling to afford child care they're struggling to afford housing they're struggling to F to just pay the bills right to put food on the table um they're struggling with all of that and on top of which they're struggling under student student loan debt um and that's something we have to be crystal clear about student loan debt isn't just a burden for the students who are graduating it's a burden for our economy because it immediately rips money out of in many cases working people's pockets that they can't spend on housing or on child care or on Hell going on vacation or getting a car right so it stifles the capacity for working people in this country to to invest in our economy right and and so we have to look at at at targeted student loan forgiveness as not just a way of alleviating the burden on the individual but also unleashing the buying power of the great middle class in this country and that's really the only way we're going to be able to restore the middle classes if we help to alleviate folks um Financial burdens so from a philosophy perspective why is this a partisan issue well I think sadly so many issues have just become partisan issues I mean the red is struggling to put their kids through college just like the blue why would you I I I don't know I I I'm not expecting for you to know either but maybe I you're a little bit more tuned in than I am look I I think I think Republicans probably have concerns with um philosophical opposition to the the government stepping in and forgiving loans despite the fact that the government obviously forgave all the loans we gave during Co understandably and rightfully um I also think that for some Republicans they view student loans as a problem that burdens disproportionately Democratic voters and they are less interested in solving problems for Democratic voters which let me just say illustrates a larger problem in our politics when we elect people to public office we should be electing people who are working on behalf of everyone people who vote for them and people who don't vote for them and right now in our politics we don't just see politicians targeting people politicians on the other side of the aisle for hate and for vitriol on the house floor we see people targeting everyday citizens for hate and discrimination we see politicians trying to punish communities of Voters who they think well they won't vote for me and so I'm not going to solve their problems we need to elect people at every level of government who are going to build governments that see and respect all of us at the local state and federal level governments that are willing and able to solve the problems whether you're a Democratic constituent a republican constituent or an independent constituent that's what I have tried to do in the Delaware General Assembly it's why I've led the charge working with Republican colleagues to expand access to healthcare and Rural communities by expanding teleah Health allowances by recruiting more dentists to to to Sussex and Kent because regardless of whether you live in a red area or a blue area regardless of how you vote your pain is real the challenges you are facing are real and we have a responsibility as elected officials to solve those problems and it shouldn't matter what you do when you go into a voting booth some people feel that once you go to Washington or whomever Goes to Washington that Delaware issues won't be on the fur front of your mind I don't think that that's true but how can you assure our listeners today our viewers that they will always be at the Forefront of your mind despite your ZIP code at the current time yeah well I I I call myself a striate I am I am a patriot about Delaware I love this state this state is the state that I was not only born and raised in but it's the state that helped shape me into the person that I am and help sustain me and support me through some of the most difficult challenges in my own life um from caring for my spouse Andy during his battle with terminal cancer and and and healing from that to having now the privil of representing the First State Senate District the district that I was born and raised in in the state senate this state has been by my side and supported me through thick and thin and it's provided me with Incredible opportunities to give back and to serve and so I love this state there is it is at the center of my heart and the center of my priorities and and you know the question is so important because as I said at the start we only send one person that means Delaware is at a disadvantage in the house because you don't have 10 20 30 members of the House of Representatives from Delaware who can band together and guarantee that the voices and the needs of delawarians are heard and met so that means our one member of Congress has to stand alone but punch above their weight they've got to make sure that they can leverage their influence and their microphone to guarantee that Delaware and delawarians voices are heard and our needs are met and again that's been my singular focus in the Delaware general assembly and it will be my singular focus in the house delivering for delawarians coming home and looking people in the eye traveling up and down this state because you know delawarians will stop you in wahwah parking lots and everything else and make sure that well lucky for them I constantly need coffee so I perpetually pulling off into a WWA parking lot to get another cup of coffee and so I I welcome those those conversations because that's what makes us a state of Neighbors and it's what makes our politics so accessible and makes our politicians and elected officials accountable and so I love this state I will give my all to this state serving it in the United States House of Representatives and my singular Focus will be guaranteeing that the microphone that I have the platform that I have the influence that I have in the house will be singularly used for Delaware's needs Delaware's interests Delaware's economy and Delaware's families well you you've said it now people are going to hold you to that they should okay you've had plenty of opportunities from Chicago and and um election announcements whatever to have I'm assuming conversations with vice president Harris what has been if you don't mind sharing some of those with us like what what what's the vibe there I mean she's excited we know you're excited but what encouragement has she given you well I I I saw her in February or March when the then Biden Harris campaign office opened here in Wilmington um I I saw her again in um actually Massachusetts back in July the day before President Biden made his selfless decision and announced um that he would no longer be running for re-election I was actually with her there uh and in both instances she has been so incredibly encouraging um she uh when I saw her in July congratulated me on on the momentum that our campaign has here in Delaware um in addition to the support of Congress woman blunt Rochester Senator Coons and Senator Carper I've been endorsed by the Delaware Democratic party I've been endorsed by former speaker Nancy Pelosi and our hopefully next speaker hakee Jeff um and so she was just incredibly excited about the prospect of um working with me uh in in various capacities and I am so eager to get to Washington to work with a president Harris to deliver the kinds of policies you and I have talked about this evening the policies that matter most to delawarians on affordable housing and Child Care Health Care Paid Family Medical Leave gun safety and reproductive Freedom she's a champion of those issues just like I am and she's going to need not only allies in Congress but effective allies in Congress who are going to help bring about that agenda and deliver it for the American people and so we we've talked about that and unfortunately if she's not elected we will need people in Congress to support and protect certain rights of citizens because it's made very clear uh by the opposition that um of the democratic party that things are going to change well Donald Trump and JD Vance would be a existential threat not just to our democracy but to our security as working families and and and workers in the state right the financial security that people are are seeking they will stop at nothing to undermine worker rights to undermine abortion rights to undermine voting rights to undermine lgbtq rights to undermine the rights and dignity of working people and families in this state that's what project 2025 has made clear it's what their policy platform has made clear it's what Donald Trump made clear in his first four years when he tried to rip healthc care away from millions of Americans when he appointed justices to the Supreme Court that have undone row and undermined reproductive freedom in this country when he's undermined elections and tried to overturn election results because they didn't go his way he has shown time and time again who he has shown time and time again who he is we should believe him we should believe him based on what he did in his first term we should believe him based on what project 2025 makes clear he will do we should would believe him when he goes on the campaign Trail and makes clear what he's going to do um he he he's says what he's going to do and then he works very hard at doing it for the most part when it comes to anything to set folks back right in regards to progress he seems to work very hard at delivering the manifesto of 20 project 2025 says that and then the dishonesty that he didn't know anything about it when in fact he's met with the authors and the creators of it he he's a a a certifiable liar and he has degraded our politics as I think vice president Harris say said he is a deeply unserious man but the consequences of his election would be serious for this country and to your point while I am optimistic that vice president Harris and Governor walls will win this election should the unthinkable happen uh and Donald Trump win we are going to need people in Congress who have a spine of Steel who have the bravery and the courage and the effectiveness to stand up to a trump V Administration to defend our rights to defend our dignity to defend our democracy but most importantly to defend the the jobs and the health care and the benefits that delawarians rely on every single day that the Republican party will seek to strip Social Security and Medicare the Affordable Care Act they will seek to rip Health Care rip benefits away from delawarians particularly seniors and we've got to have someone who's going to stop at nothing to stand in their way and protect those benefits that delawarians have earned and you're saying that's you that's I'm saying that's me there it is our candidate Sarah McBride for the House of Representatives here in Delaware the primaries next week we're excited uh for these elections uh you can tune in on Election night on primary night right here on DV we'll be on the air for most of the evening uh displaying all the results direct from the Department of Elections right here you can get your results there'll be politicians popping in and out throughout the night encouraging for those stragglers out there that have not voted and waiting with fingers crossed I'm sure they will be on the the results from the election but thank you so much Sarah McBride for coming out Delaware Zone and I appreciate it always a friend here on the agenda and uh we look forward to seeing you next week right here don't change it on the agenda [Music] I [Music] [Music]