House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced Friday that they have selected Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16) was picked to deliver the Spanish-language response to the speech, which is scheduled for February 4.
“Since day one, Governor Whitmer has rolled up her sleeves to get things done for the people of Michigan,” Speaker Pelosi said in a statement. “During her time in public service, she has led the charge to expand health care to hundreds of thousands of people, expand protections for hard-working middle-class families and ensure clean drinking water in our communities. Her decades of hard work on behalf of the people should serve as a model for our nation. She’s a forward-looking leader who is laser-focused on solving problems for everyday Michiganders and is uniquely qualified to deliver Democrats’ message of progress for all Americans.”
Schumer touted Whitmer’s pledge to “fix the damn roads” in Michigan, but Whitmer’s proposed 45-cent gas tax increase failed to gain approval from the Legislature. She said earlier this month that her new plan is to “push forward with starting to triage these roads.”
“Governor Whitmer’s dedication to Michiganders is a model for public servants everywhere. Thanks to her tireless efforts, thousands more families across the state have access to quality health care, safer drinking water and the opportunity for a good-paying job,” said Schumer.
Whitmer said she was “thrilled” to be delivering the Democratic response and called it an “opportunity to show the American people that not only are Democrats getting things done for them, but also for future generations to come.”
Thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver the Democratic Response to the State of the Union. Democrats are laser-focused on building a stronger country, and this is an opportunity to show the American people that we are getting things done for them and for future generations.
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) January 24, 2020
“Across the country, Democrats are staying focused on building a stronger, more sustainable country for future generations” she said in a statement. “As leaders, it’s our responsibility to ensure a safe, healthy future for our children and families, and that’s exactly what we’re working toward in Michigan. That means protecting our environment from the harmful effects of climate change, ensuring a great public education that gets our kids on a path to a good job that they can raise a family on, and keeping them healthy by expanding access to quality, affordable health care and protecting those with pre-existing conditions.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gretchen Whitmer” by Gretchen Whitmer. Background Photo “Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer” by AFGE. CC BY 2.0.
