Joe Arminio says he “committed an error” without saying what it was
Joseph ArminioRepublican nominee for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat, answering a question at the candidates forum
Beginning an answer nearly nine minutes after the moderator’s final warning, Arminio said he had “committed an error” and would acknowledge it, and that it was not the first he had made “or I’m going to make” in the campaign. He did not say what the error was and went on to the economy. About eleven minutes later, in another answer, he again used a male term for McBride.
“Well, first, let me say that I stood in error, or I committed an error before, and I would acknowledge it. And it's not the first error I've made or I'm going to make in this campaign or at any point in my future life.”
Original video
Original video
Other statements by Joseph Arminio in this case
- Arminio invokes free speech in later response to the candidates-forum incidentLater: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Did Joe Arminio’s misgendering of Sarah McBride warrant his removal from a Delaware candidate forum?
On September 17, 2026, at a candidates forum at the Siegel Jewish Community Center in Wilmington, Joseph Arminio, the Republican nominee for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat, referred to his opponent, Rep. Sarah McBride, with male terms, including “his” in his opening statement, which the audience met with boos, and “gentlemen” later. McBride is the first openly transgender member of Congress. After the first instance the moderator, Ken Grant, told Arminio: “This is your final warning. If you fail to show respect to anyone else on this stage, you will be asked to leave.” Arminio said in a later answer that he had “committed an error.” After the second instance his microphone was cut and he was removed. McBride said on stage that she did not want Arminio to be unable to speak. Mike Katz, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, who was on the same stage, has said he called for Arminio’s removal, and afterward called on him to withdraw from the race. Grant later said the rule was applied “as they would have been for any candidate, of any party, on any subject.” Whether Arminio’s conduct warranted his removal from the forum, and whether it warrants his withdrawal from the race, is the matter in dispute. In his first public statement since the forum, issued September 22, Arminio said he appreciated McBride defending his freedom of speech and that he is “a firm supporter of freedom of speech and the Constitution in its entirety.”
Source and context
Original video
About this source
The first sentences of Arminio's answer to a policy question, nearly nine minutes after the moderator's final warning. He does not say what the error was, and goes on to the economy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Original video
About this source
Joseph Arminio's three-minute opening statement as the second-half U.S. House candidate, identified on his table placard. In it he refers to Rep. Sarah McBride as “his” (“the representative from Delaware, through the net of his comments and his actions”), the audience reacts, and he says “I would like to show respect to the speaker, that would be nice.” Later in the statement the recording captures the words “he's accomplished,” then “she is accomplished,” then Arminio saying “Thank you for the correction.” Moderator Ken Grant then says “We saw an example over the past hour of candidates acting with decorum and with respect towards each other. This is your final warning.” Mike Katz, opening for the U.S. Senate candidates, apologizes to “everybody here and everybody else on the stage” for the comments. The only use of “sorry” in Arminio's remarks in this half is the phrase “I'm sorry to have to say that the representative from Delaware…” that opens the sentence containing the first male terms.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
In his opening statement Arminio had referred to McBride as “his” and, later in the statement, said “Thank you for the correction.” Moderator Ken Grant had told him: “This is your final warning. If you fail to show respect to anyone else on this stage, you will be asked to leave.” Mike Katz had apologized to the audience for the comments.
After the quotation
Arminio continued: “Now, what I would like to see from all Americans is outrage when a major act of dishonesty takes place in Washington, D.C.,” and turned to the economy. About eleven minutes later he said “gentlemen like the two here on this, up here with me on the Democratic Party, and in the Republican Party,” and was removed. Delaware Public Media reported that he “apologized” after the first remark; the recording captures him acknowledging an error but does not include an apology, and the only use of “sorry” in his remarks is “I’m sorry to have to say that the representative from Delaware…” at the start of the sentence containing the first male terms.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On Arminio’s use of male terms for McBride at the forum after correction and warning, and his removal for it, Arminio’s answer is mixed. He concedes an error, a partial acknowledgment of the conduct at issue. But he does not say what the error was, does not apologize, generalizes it as “not the first error I’ve made or I’m going to make,” and moves to another subject. The closest competing labels are condemns, which loses because he does not criticize or reject the conduct, and minimizes, which loses because he calls it an error rather than downplaying its seriousness. About eleven minutes later he used a male term for McBride again.
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More from this case
Read the full caseDelaware Republican Party says no forum should “substitute enforced language for open political argument”
Delaware Republican Party
“Delawareans deserve a real debate, not a debate that ends the moment a Republican nominee refuses to recite the other side’s talking points. We stand with the First Amendment. Candidates should be able to speak, voters should be able to hear them, and no forum should substitute enforced language for open political argument.”Read statement
Nancy Mace calls Arminio’s removal “The Left policing biology and speech”
“The Left policing biology and speech...”Read statement
Earl Cooper says Arminio is “setting us back” as he launches a write-in campaign
“I am a man of color. I am an African American, and I felt like he’s setting us back … I see a lot of the people who back him. They are really kind of making it very clear that they are in line with him and I disagreed with that. So for that reason, I went today to give Delawareans a choice.”Read statement
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- Joe Arminio says he “committed an error” without saying what it was
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The Dispute Index. "Joe Arminio says he “committed an error” without saying what it was". First published: 2026-09-20. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1233-beginning-an-answer-nearly-nine-minutes-after-the