Virginia’s new governor has been given a high-profile assignment. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 24.
Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries made the announcement in a February 19 statement. Sen. Alex Padilla will deliver the Spanish language response to the speech.
“Gov. Spanberger has always put service over politics — defending our national security and delivering real results for working families. She knows Americans want lower costs, safer communities, and a stronger democracy — not chaos and corruption. 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 said.
Jeffries noted that Spanberger won November’s election by the largest margin for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in six decades. “As the 75th Governor of Virginia and first woman ever elected to lead the Commonwealth, Abigail is a champion for lowering the high cost of living, saving healthcare from the relentless far-right assault and protecting the federal workforce so they can serve the American people without political interference,” Jeffries said.
In the statement, Spanberger said that, “We are at a defining moment in our nation’s history. 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.”
Feature image courtesy Abigail Spanberger
