A newcomer to politics, in September 2020 she defeated incumbent State Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride in the Democratic primary election by a 52.4%-47.6% margin.
[2] Pinkney defeated Republican nominee Alexander Homich in the general election of November 3, 2020.
Pinkney is the first openly queer woman elected to serve in Delaware's state legislature, after Senator Karen E. Peterson came out as gay in 2013 while in office.
[3] She is one of three LGBTQ+ candidates to be elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 2020, along with Sarah McBride and Eric Morrison.
[4] Pinkney identifies as queer and is an active member of Christiana Care PRIDE, the LGBTQ+ employee resource group at her workplace.