Delaware Republicans Nominate Joseph Arminio to Challenge Sarah McBride for U.S. House Seat

<p>Delaware Republicans nominated political scientist Joseph "Dr. Joe" Arminio for the state's lone U.S. House seat on September 15, 2026, bypassing both the state GOP's endorsed candidate and its 2024 nominee. Arminio will face Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride in the general election on November 3.</p><p>Arminio defeated Rev. Earl Cooper, the Delaware Republican Party's endorsed candidate, and John Whalen, the party's 2024 nominee, to secure the nomination. McBride, who won Delaware's at-large House seat in 2024, became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress after defeating Whalen by approximately 16 percentage points.</p><p>McBride is seeking a second term in a seat that Republicans have not won since 2008.</p><p>Arminio, a Wilmington native, is a political scientist, author, and educator with a doctorate in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he focused on national defense policy and international relations. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University and has taught at American University and Lincoln University.</p><p>This is not Arminio's first congressional campaign; he previously sought the Republican nomination in Maryland's 1st Congressional District in 2008, receiving about 1.6% of the vote in a four-way primary won by Andy Harris.</p><p>Arminio campaigned on economic issues, arguing that excessive public and private debt has negatively impacted American families. He identified inflation and the rising costs of groceries, gasoline, and housing as significant economic challenges facing Delaware.</p><p>In an interview with WHYY, Arminio stated, "The Republican country for that matter is in dire peril. The economy’s in very bad shape. We’re suffering from crushing private and public debt. So your typical family is having a hard time making ends meet. The young cannot afford to buy a home. They’re having difficulty in their relationships, getting married. It’s very, very serious."</p><p>Arminio will attempt to break the Democrats' long-standing hold on Delaware's lone House seat, which has been controlled by the party since John Carney took over after former U.S. Rep. Mike Castle retired and did not seek reelection in 2010.</p>