Abigail Spanberger Gives Democratic Response to State of the Union — She Didn't Have the Stage to Herself
In the Democrats' official response to the State of the Union, abigail spanberger, Virginia's first female governor, attacked the president's economic and immigration policies and raised questions about whether the administration is making life more affordable and safer for Americans. The rebuttal came moments after the president finished his remarks on Capitol Hill and reiterated long-standing partisan divides over enforcement, tariffs and the costs facing families.
Abigail Spanberger: Background and rise to the Democratic rebuttal
Abigail Spanberger, 46, was elected as Virginia's governor in November after a career that included service in Congress and work as a CIA officer. The governor was chosen to deliver the Democratic rebuttal, a role that was first delivered in 1966 and is generally provided by a rising star in the opposing party. Spanberger's selection presented little political risk for Democrats: she was elected a few months ago and cannot run for re-election because Virginia imposes a one-term limit on governors.
What abigail spanberger said in the response
Spanberger opened her rebuttal by setting out three questions for Americans to consider: 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. She told listeners the answer to all three is no. In blunt language she accused the president of lying, scapegoating and distracting, and said he offered no real solutions to pressing national problems.
Her economic criticism focused on rising costs for housing and healthcare and on trade policy. She described the president's tariff policy as "reckless" and said that his policies have cost American families $1, 700 (£1, 260) each. She also noted that, even though the Supreme Court ruled against the administration's tariff policy, "the damage to the American people has already been done. " Spanberger argued that Republicans in Congress, by failing to oppose the president, are making life harder and more expensive for Americans.
Immigration enforcement, Minneapolis and the claims she raised
Spanberger sharply criticized what she called an immigration crackdown in US cities. She attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Democratic-led cities and applauded resistance to enforcement efforts in Minneapolis. She accused the administration of sending "poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans" and said agents had acted without a warrant. She added that agents "have killed American citizens in our streets" and that they acted with "their faces masked from accountability. "
The rebuttal referenced two specific deaths: federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both US citizens, last month during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Following an outcry after those deaths, the administration replaced the top official and withdrew agents from the city.
Political stakes: why Spanberger's selection mattered
Spanberger used the rebuttal to make a broader political point about momentum for Democrats heading into November's midterm elections, suggesting the party could be well positioned to win congressional seats. She pointed to her own trajectory as part of that pitch: she ousted a Republican incumbent in 2018 to win a seat in the US Congress, helping Democrats secure a majority. She described herself as the first Democrat elected in 50 years in that district, flipping it by 17 points.
Distribution notes and related media details
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Recent coverage and the rebuttal itself underline how the Democratic response used specific incidents and policy critiques to challenge the president on affordability, safety and accountability, even as broader political calculations shaped the choice of messenger for that response.
