Democrats' Newest Radical Darling Picked for State of the Union Rebuttal

Virginia’s Democrat governor, Abigail Spanberger, is everything her party wants her to be: a lover of raising taxes, harboring illegal aliens, aborting babies, and disenfranchising conservative voters. These are all things she hid from voters while running for governor, of course; she ran as a moderate, meaning she had to avoid talking about her congressional career, where she was a reliable rubber stamp for Joe Biden and his disastrous policies.

As a candidate, she hid the truth about how radical Democrats had become in their policies. As a governor, she’s showing her true colors, working with her colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly to unleash a vast array of radical bills and executive orders that would make Karl Marx proud.

To thank her for her loyalty to The Party, Spanberger has been chosen by Democrats to deliver the rebuttal to next week’s State of the Union address.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to give Democratic response to Trump’s State of the Union addresshttps://t.co/bBdXNtO3lg

— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) February 19, 2026

Last year, this spot went to Sen. Alyssa Slotkin (D-MI), who was fresh off of being sworn in for her first term. It’s clear the Democrats want a woman to speak for them – they likely think it’s a way of really sticking it to President Trump. Trump, it should be noted, defeated both of the Democrats’ female presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. Nonetheless, they’re going with a woman, yet again.

This is also a test run for Spanberger on the national stage. Soon after she won in 2025, the media began talking her up as a potential “face of 2028”:

If the Democratic Party does figure out a way to harness the populist energy being created by Mamdani, AOC and Crockett, spot-welding it to a pragmatic candidate such as Sherrill or Spanberger, then I would say the Republicans would be looking at a very tough race come 2028.

“Pragmatic” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, as Spanberger’s first month in office has shown her to be your run-of-the-mill, hard-left Democrat who relishes one-party rule. And it’s not like she’s trying to hide it anymore.

SEE ALSO: New: Spanberger Officially Pushes Virginia Off the Cliff Toward Sanctuary State Status

New: Convicted Sex Offender Snagged Amid Spanberger’s ICE Freeze

In announcing his party’s choice of Spanberger, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) lauded the governor as someone who “has always put service over politics.”

“Gov. Spanberger has always put service over politics — defending our national security and delivering real results for working families,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “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.”

Spanberger said in a statement that Americans expect and deserve “leaders who are working hard to deliver for them.” She added, “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.”

Democrats also announced that Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) will give the Democrat response in Spanish.

President Trump will deliver the State of the Union address Tuesday, February 24, at 9:00 p.m. ET. RedState will be liveblogging the event, so be sure to join us.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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