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2d ago

Joseph Arminio Wins Delaware GOP Primary, Will Challenge Rep. Sarah McBride in November

The result sets a fall race between a Republican running on debt and inflation and an incumbent emphasizing local job and port infrastructure projects.

U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride at the Capitol ahead of the State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026 in Washington, DC.
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Republican Joe Arminio is hoping to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep Sarah McBride for Delaware's lone congressional seat.
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Overview

  • Primary returns showed Joseph “Dr. Joe” Arminio topping the Republican field with 18,629 votes (47.86%), John Whalen III finishing second with 12,523 votes (32.17%), and Earl Cooper receiving 7,772 votes (19.97%).
  • Sarah McBride advanced unopposed for the Democratic nomination and will seek a second term as the first openly transgender member of Congress.
  • Arminio framed his campaign around economic complaints about public and private debt, rising prices, and housing affordability in interviews with WHYY and campaign statements.
  • McBride quickly shifted to local economic messaging after the primary, highlighting her role in the groundbreaking for the Delaware Container Terminal at the Port of Wilmington and promising job and supply-chain benefits from the project.
  • The November contest will occur in a state Democrats have held at the at-large seat since 2010, a structural advantage that makes a Republican pickup difficult even as Arminio seeks to tie the race to voter concerns about the economy.