Rep. Sarah McBride Details Unique Bond with AOC Over the ‘Spotlight’ They’ve Both Faced in Congress (Exclusive)

Rep. Sarah McBride has a beardown state successful Congress successful 1 of nan House's astir visible figures: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

McBride, 34, tells PEOPLE that AOC, 35, has been a root of support since she began her first word successful Congress successful January. McBride, who made history erstwhile she became nan first openly transgender person to beryllium elected to nan House successful November 2024, is nan taxable of nan caller State of Firsts documentary from head Chase Joynt, which follows her run for Congress.

In 1 segment from nan documentary filmed aft she won her spot arsenic a U.S. typical from Delaware, McBride and AOC beryllium down successful her agency for a chat astir "firsts." While speaking to PEOPLE up of State of First's Saturday June 7 premiere astatine nan Tribeca Festival, McBride elaborate her important enslaved pinch nan lawmaker.

"She's decidedly go a friend and personification who I person turned to for advice. She entered Congress pinch a floor plan that exceeds excavation pinch a batch of attention," McBride says. "And you know, it wasn't ever easy for her."

AOC made history successful 2018 arsenic nan youngest women ever elected to Congress and presently represents New York's 14th legislature district. But successful her first term, she said she faced backlash for her outfits and was treated for illustration an intern.

McBride says AOC's struggles successful her first word person strengthened their connection.

"I person often gone to her arsenic 1 of nan fewer group who knows what it's for illustration coming successful arsenic a caller member, arsenic a freshman and having a spotlight connected you that exceeds what astir freshmen have," McBride says, noting, "The situation of navigating a caller place, a caller workplace pinch that spotlight, pinch those attacks, location are very fewer group who person that experience."

During nan gathering betwixt nan 2 congresswomen featured successful State of Firsts, nan Delaware lawmaker tells AOC she's "struggling pinch protecting my sound and my expertise to beryllium seen and heard authentically for who I americium and what I americium present to attraction on, and nan inevitable excavation that others are trying to propulsion maine in."

Ocasio-Cortez nods arsenic she replies, "What group don't spot and what they don't really acquisition is that being nan first intends being nan only."

She continues, "The immense magnitude of anticipation placed connected anyone who's a first, successful my experience, that is not thing that goes away."

She past becomes heated complete critics who person attacked McBride for her gender identity, telling her, "What they spell aft is your basal dignity arsenic a quality being. And, to beryllium frank, that's what really pisses maine disconnected astir this."

"I want to respect your autonomy and I want to respect your communicative and really you want to grip this for yourself, but I besides want to timepiece these motherf------," she exclaims.

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In a infinitesimal besides included successful State of Firsts, AOC hits backmost aft nan House bans trans group from utilizing nan Capitol's single-sex bathrooms that lucifer their gender identity, calling nan connection "disgusting" successful an question and reply that first aired connected Spectrum News.

"All it does is let these Republicans to spell astir and bully immoderate female who isn’t wearing a skirt because they deliberation she mightiness not look female enough,” she says successful nan interview.

While speaking pinch PEOPLE, McBride says AOC is personification she has "come to trust connected for advice," adding, "She surely has go a friend and I really profoundly respect her."

State of Firsts premieres astatine Tribeca Festival connected June 7.