RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech next Tuesday, Democratic congressional leaders said Thursday — a sign of her growing importance to the national party.
“Governor Spanberger embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Thursday in a joint announcement with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York).
Spanberger was sworn in Jan. 17 as the first woman to serve as governor of Virginia, winning the selection in a 15-percentage-point landslide after serving three terms representing a conservative-leaning district in Congress. A former federal inspector for the U.S. Postal Service and undercover operative for the CIA, Spanberger has been highlighted by the party as a new generation of centrist Democratic leader who has popularized the issue of “affordability.”
She has drawn criticism from Virginia Republicans, though, for taking a hard stance against Trump’s immigration policies and for favoring her party’s efforts to draw new, Democratic-leaning congressional districts before this fall’s midterm elections.
While the speaking opportunity offers her broader national exposure, it is often seen as a mixed blessing. The format can be stilted, and many prior speakers have come off as awkward.
“We are at a defining moment in our nation’s history,” Spanberger said in the announcement. “Virginians and Americans across the country are contending 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.”
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) will deliver the Spanish-language response.
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