Abigail Spanberger Delivers Democratic Response to State of the Union

abigail spanberger, Virginia’s first female governor, gave the Democrats’ response to the president’s State of the Union address, challenging his economic and immigration policies and laying out a set of questions she said every American should ask. Her rebuttal arrived moments after the president completed his remarks on Capitol Hill and touched on tariffs, ICE operations and political risk for her party.

Spanberger framed the rebuttal around three questions and broad criticisms

She began by asking three concrete 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 then answered each question in the negative.

In that speech Spanberger attacked the president’s economic approach, criticising tariffs on imports as "reckless" and saying the policies had already cost American families $1, 700 (£1, 260) each. She also warned that, even after a high court ruled against the administration’s tariff policy, "the damage to the American people has already been done. "

Abigail Spanberger on ICE raids and the Minneapolis deaths

She attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Democratic-led cities and praised resistance to those operations in Minneapolis. "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, " she said, adding that some actions had been taken "without a warrant. "

Spanberger 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 administration replaced the top official and withdrew agents from the city following an outcry after the deaths.

She criticised rising costs and blamed congressional Republicans

Spanberger singled out rising housing and healthcare costs as part of the economic squeeze on families. She argued that Republicans in Congress, by failing to oppose the president, are increasing those burdens, telling viewers, "They're making your life harder. They're making your life more expensive. "

Background: Spanberger's path from CIA officer to Virginia governor

Spanberger, 46, was elected as Virginia's governor in November after a career that included serving in Congress and working as a CIA officer. She is the first female governor in Virginia's history and, because Virginia imposes a one-term limit, cannot run for re-election. She was elected a few months ago.

In her rebuttal she pointed to her own political record in Congress, saying she ousted a Republican incumbent in 2018 to win a seat and helped Democrats secure a majority. "In my case, I was the first Democrat elected in 50 years, swinging our district [by] 17 points, " Spanberger said, and she suggested Democrats could be well positioned to win seats in Congress in the November midterm elections.

Timing, tradition and how the rebuttal is shared

The official Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union was first delivered in 1966 and is generally given by a rising star in the opposing party; this response came just moments after the president finished his remarks on Capitol Hill.

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