Sarah McBride
Role at the time: Democratic U.S. representative for Delaware, posting on her X account
Statement summary
The morning after the forum, McBride posted that she is proud to represent Delaware and that nothing — “and certainly not politicians seeking to go viral” — will distract her from lowering the cost of gas, groceries, housing, childcare and health care. The post does not name Arminio or the forum; her office referred reporters to it as her response.
“I am always so proud to represent Delaware and Delawareans. Nothing - and certainly not politicians seeking to go viral - will ever distract me from my laser focus on lowering the cost of gas, groceries, housing, childcare, and healthcare.”
Why we used this label
On Arminio’s use of male terms for McBride at the forum after correction and warning, and his removal for it, McBride’s post downplays the episode’s importance (“Nothing … will ever distract me”) and characterizes the conduct as seeking to go viral. It does not name Arminio or the forum; it is included because her office pointed reporters to it as her response, and WHYY and The Philadelphia Inquirer describe it as her statement on the incident. The closest competing label is “Explicitly stayed out”, because the post redirects to policy; it loses because the post also characterizes the conduct rather than only refusing to address it.