WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Virginia Gov. will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump鈥檚 State of the Union address next week, just months after resoundingly winning an office previously held by a Republican.
Spanberger, who served three terms in the U.S. House, became Virginia鈥檚 first female governor earlier this year. She won by a double-digit margin, campaigning on affordability and lowering costs for families 鈥� a message Democrats are now elevating as they seek to win back the House and Senate in this year’s midterm elections.
鈥淕ov. Spanberger will lay out a clear path forward: lower everyday costs, protect healthcare, and defend the freedoms that define who we are as a nation,鈥� Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.
Democrats try to counter Trump’s large platform
Spanbberger’s rebuttal will follow Trump鈥檚 address to Congress on Tuesday, where he’ll have a national platform to tout his record and shape the GOP鈥檚 message 鈥� valuable airtime presidents often use to the fullest. Trump’s first joint address of his second term last March stretched an hour and 40 minutes.
Spanberger will have far less time for rebuttal. Last year鈥檚 Democratic response, delivered by Sen. of Michigan, ran just over 10 minutes.
The brevity and lack of an audience have made the response to the State of the Union one of the most fraught assignments in politics. Republican Sen. Katie Britt’s 2024 response to President Joe Biden in 2024 was lampooned on 鈥淪aturday Night Live,鈥� for example, while now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced mockery for reaching for a water bottle when delivering the GOP response in 2013. Other responses have been quickly forgotten.
Spanberger鈥檚 speech will not be the only Democratic response to Trump on Tuesday night. Leaders also announced that California Sen. Alex Padilla will deliver the Spanish-language rebuttal.
Some Democratic lawmakers are skipping Trump’s address altogether and holding their own counterprogramming, including a 鈥淧eople’s State of the Union鈥� rally being held on the National Mall with members of the Senate and House.
鈥淧resident Trump is a disgrace. He鈥檚 easily the most corrupt President in American history by a long shot,鈥� Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., wrote on social media. 鈥淚鈥檓 not attending his State of the Union to listen to him ramble and lie.鈥�
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has urged his members to either sit in 鈥渟ilent defiance鈥� during Trump’s speech or stay away, wary of the disruptions that have become commonplace at recent presidential addresses.
Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas was during Trump’s address to Congress last year when he stood and started responding to the president. Other Democrats displayed protest signs from their seats.
Spanberger seen as electoral success for Democrats
Jeffries said in announcing Spanberger as the party鈥檚 pick that she 鈥渆mbodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant.鈥�
As a former CIA case officer, Spanberger has tied her political career to her public service and national security credentials. She also has pitched herself as a mother of daughters educated in Virginia鈥檚 public schools and a Capitol Hill veteran who often worked across the aisle.
Since winning the election she has vowed to work with the president when they are aligned, but also has taken more pointed digs at the White House.
On the campaign trail last year, Spanberger spoke out against the White House鈥檚 gutting of the civil service, an issue that hit in Virginia, home to a large number of federal workers.
“Those who have devoted their lives to public service, you are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities,鈥� Spanberger said at her inauguration. 鈥淏etraying the values of who we are as Americans.鈥�
Last year鈥檚 record-breaking government shutdown also hit the state鈥檚 sizable federal workforce, leaving many employees without pay for weeks.
The federal government is once again as Democratic leaders in Congress and the White House negotiate funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The shutdown, which began Saturday, is likely to stretch into Trump鈥檚 address Tuesday, with no agreement in sight.
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Diaz reported from Richmond, Virginia.
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