Virginia’s governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address next week, elevating a pragmatic voice whose affordability-focused gubernatorial campaign is seen as a model for the party to win back power in the November midterm elections.
The Democratic rebuttal will immediately follow Trump’s address to Congress on 24 February. Spanberger, a former undercover CIA officer who served three terms in Congress, became Virginia’s first female governor earlier this year, resoundingly winning an office previously held by a Republican. She won the race by a double-digit margin, campaigning on affordability and lowering costs for families.
In a statement, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries and his counterpart, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer hailed Spanberger as a public servant with a record of holding Trump accountable – and winning races in competitive territory.
“She stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who will lie, deflect and blame everyone but himself for his failed presidency on Tuesday evening,” Jeffries said in a statement announcing her selection. “As our nation marks its 250th anniversary this summer, Governor Spanberger embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant.”
“Gov 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,” Schumer added.
Spanberger said she planned to use her rebuttal to address Americans’ concerns with “rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring”.
“Next week, I look forward to laying out what these Americans expect and deserve – leaders who are working hard to deliver for them,” she said.
In choosing Spanberger, 46, Democratic leaders are handing the spotlight to a battleground-tested moderate with national security credentials and a reputation for message discipline, particularly on economic issues and highlighting the impact of federal policies on everyday Virginians. Her 15-point victory in a purple state last November, alongside Mikie Sherrill in the New Jersey’s governor’s race, provided a jolt of optimism for Democrats still searching for an effective response to counter a president who dominates the political national conservation.
As Trump contends with sagging approval ratings amid economic unease and a backlash to his deportation agenda, Democrats believe they are strongly positioned to win control of the House – and possibly even the Senate – in November.
The rebuttal slot is typically reserved for a rising star – an ascendant figure the party believes can carry its message and showcase its next generation. Last year, Democrats chose Michigan senator Elissa Slotkin, another centrist figure with an intelligence background who won her seat even as Trump claimed the battleground state in 2024. But unlike Slotkin, Spanberger is not seen as a potential 2028 contender.
Democrats also chose Senator Alex Padilla, to deliver the party’s Spanish language response. In a statement, the 52-year-old senator said he plans to discuss “a federal government that weaponizes enforcement agencies against immigrants and US citizens alike,” as well as the Trump administration’s “failed economic agenda” and its effort to restrict voting access.
“Americans don’t need another speech from Donald Trump pretending everything is fine when their bills are too high, paychecks are too low, and masked and militarized federal agents are roaming our communities violating constitutional rights on a daily basis,” Padilla said in a statement.
Padilla, the son of Mexican immigrants and the first Latino to represent California in the Senate, was tackled to the ground by federal agents and handcuffed after attempting to ask the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, a question at a news conference in Los Angeles during the administration’s immigration crackdown in the city last summer.
Democrats are heavily courting Latino voters who shifted toward Trump in the presidential election, but have soured on the president over his handling of the economy and his sprawling deportation campaign that has swept up long-settled immigrants, green-card holders and even US citizens.
“As Donald Trump, Kristi Noem and MAGA extremists have tried to silence the voices of our Latino brothers and sisters, Senator Alex Padilla has consistently fought back and proven Democrats will not bend the knee to this out-of-control administration,” Jeffries said in a statement.
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Shrai Popat contributed reporting
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theguardian.com
