Abigail Spanberger Pushes Affordability in Democratic Response to State of the Union
abigail spanberger, Virginia's first female governor, delivered the Democratic response to the State of the Union and challenged President Donald Trump's economic and immigration policies, pressing voters to ask whether the president is making life more affordable and keeping the country safe.
Abigail Spanberger's Democratic response
Spanberger, 46, opened the rebuttal—delivered just moments after Trump finished his remarks on Capitol Hill—by saying, "Tonight the president did what he always does. He lied, he scapegoated, and he distracted, and he offered no real solutions to our nation's pressing challenges, so many of which he is actively making worse. " The rebuttal form dated back to 1966, when it was first delivered by a rising star in the opposing party.
Three questions she put to voters
She laid out three questions she wanted Americans to ask: is the president working to make life more affordable, is the president working to keep America safe at home and abroad, and is the president working for you. Spanberger said the answer to all three of those questions is no.
Targeting immigration enforcement in Minneapolis
Spanberger attacked the Trump administration's Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Democrat-led cities and applauded resistance in Minneapolis. She said, "Our president has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans, " and added, "They have killed American citizens in our streets. And they have done it all with their faces masked from accountability. " Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good—both US citizens—last month during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The Trump administration replaced the top official and withdrew agents from the city following an outcry after the deaths.
Tariffs, costs and the Supreme Court ruling
Spanberger criticised rising costs of housing and healthcare and described the president's tariff policy as "reckless. " She said the policies have cost American families $1, 700 (1, 260£) each. Even though the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration's tariff policy, she said, "the damage to the American people has already been done. "
Political background and what she highlighted about elections
The governor argued that Republicans in Congress, by failing to oppose the president, are costing Americans: "They're making your life harder, " she said. "They're making your life more expensive. " The selection of Spanberger to deliver the Democratic rebuttal represented little political risk for Democrats; she was elected a few months ago and cannot run for re-election because Virginia has a one-term limit. Spanberger noted her own political track record in Congress: she ousted a Republican incumbent in 2018 to win a seat in the US Congress and helped Democrats secure a majority. "In my case, I was the first Democrat elected in 50 years, swinging our district17 points, " she said.
Spanberger suggested Democrats could be in a good position to win seats in Congress in November's midterm elections, pointing to her 2018 win as an example. The next confirmed milestone she cited for voters is the November midterm elections.
