Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to Donald Trump's State of the Union address on 24 February, party leaders announced. The former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman won the Virginia governor's race by a double-digit margin last year, campaigning on affordability and lowering costs for families.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Spanberger as a public servant with a record of holding Trump accountable and winning in competitive territory. Jeffries said she "stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who will lie, deflect and blame everyone but himself for his failed presidency."
Spanberger said she would address Americans' concerns about "rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring." The 46-year-old moderate is seen as a model for Democrats seeking to regain the House and possibly the Senate in November's midterm elections.
Senator Alex Padilla will deliver the Spanish-language response, focusing on the Trump administration's immigration enforcement and economic policies. Padilla, who was detained by federal agents last summer while attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, said Americans don't need "another speech from Donald Trump pretending everything is fine."
