By Rachel Sawicki

NEWARK — Amid elections in many cities and states this week, Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington, tackled the topic of voter turnout Wednesday during a talk at the University of Delaware.

Her speech, part of the Center for Political Communication’s National Agenda speaker series, came a day after a largely disappointing vote for Democrats in some areas and focused on the importance of Independents.

Eyes are on Virginia in particular, where the first Republican to win statewide office since 2009, Glenn Youngkin, was chosen its new governor. Sen. McBride said that the party in power at the federal level always has more difficulty in off-year elections, but low Democratic turnout next year could mean trouble for the party.

“One of the things that I’ve learned about politics is ... the only consistency is change. Things are cyclical. Things evolve,” she said. “There are going to be good years and bad years, but you can’t base your decisions in government on what you think will be the best thing a year from now.”

She said that reaching out to registered Independents is critical for any party in winning an election. The senator said she supports legislation to have primaries earlier to allow for more engagement in a general election or to explore semi-open primaries, so Independents can have a role in them, particularly in a state like Delaware, where those voters often decide a winner.

Students are becoming an important demographic, as well. National Agenda’s director, Dr. Lindsay Hoffman, said that 75.2% of UD students voted in the 2020 election, 10% higher than the national institutional rate.

Sen. McBride dove deeper into the political divide in Delaware and across the country. A March poll from the Pew Research Center found that 93% of Democrats had a mostly or very unfavorable opinion of Republicans, and 96% of Republicans said the same of Democrats. But Sen. McBride said that, sometimes, the antidote to the negativity and division in politics is running for local offices.

“When you go door-to-door and have conversations with voters, … you really do see how much we actually have in common,” she said. “Even if our politics doesn’t reflect it, or our identity attachments supersedes that, what is keeping Republicans up at night is largely similar to what is keeping up Democrats. It’s how to afford the mortgage, pay for child care and how to get back to work.”

Delaware’s divide — with the liberal-leaning north and the conservative-leaning south — mirrors that throughout the United States, she said. Politics are not between red and blue states, Sen. McBride added, but between urban and rural areas.

She noted that it’s been a challenge to connect with other state legislators since she was elected during the pandemic.

“I think it’s important for all of us in the legislature to understand the diversity of our state beyond our own districts,” she said. “We are there to represent our districts, but we need to get an understanding of what the rest of the state is and looks like and thinks and feels.”

Sen. McBride is also focused on the climate crisis and looking at options for Delaware to move forward and adapt, including investments in offshore wind and electric-vehicle infrastructure. She pushed for more action from world leaders during the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), going on now in Scotland, because the solution to climate impacts cannot be “piecemealed” together.

“Every automobile manufacturer in the United States has announced that they’re moving in this direction in the next 10 or 15 years,” she said. “And if we don’t prepare now, before demand for EV chargers and EV-ready homes is at a fever pitch, … we’re going to be very far behind and playing catch-up. We’re going to be in a moment of crisis when the market has made clear where it’s moving. The planet demands that we move in that direction.”

Sen. McBride heavily endorsed President Joe Biden’s agenda, adding that it is the most significant investment in addressing climate issues ever seen.

“It’s really hard to break through to 50% of the country, and it’s really hard to get your message across, so I think that certainly is the perpetual struggle that (President Biden) faces,” she said. “I am optimistic, though, that once both the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better agenda (pass) — which I believe they will pass — the president’s numbers will rebound.”

Ultimately, she said open conversations and debates about opposing viewpoints are a good thing but that certain lines crossed result in counterproductivity. The senator added that she wants opposing views to be challenged in a healthy way, but a person who is at the center of the conversation, whose identity is directly impacted, should be able to step back for their own health. That’s where allies can step in and make a difference.

“The last thing I want is that person who is posting anti-trans things on Facebook to be in an echo chamber that only validates those positions,” she said. “I want them to be exposed to my friends who support me. I want them to be exposed to my friends’ viewpoints and see the articles that they post on social media. I want someone there to help challenge them.”

Sen. McBride said that her worst fears about coming out never came true; family, friends and co-workers have shown overwhelming support for her. On social media, she said the negative comments are few and far between but still stick with her.

“Over time, I do think most people can change. Most people can evolve, and I’ve seen that,” she said. “The more they’re exposed to stories, the more they’re exposed to people, the more their hearts and minds can change. I think one of the challenges we face is how we replicate that which has occurred for communities like the LGBTQ community.”