Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democrats’ response to the State of the Union address Tuesday from Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.
The rebuttal will immediately follow Republican President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress.
“Since the people of the Virginia Colony first gathered to take on the extraordinary task of governing themselves, Williamsburg has served as a testament to the power of ordinary citizens to shape the future of our nation, demand better from our government, and pursue a more perfect union for all,” Spanberger said in a release Saturday.
“On Tuesday, I look forward to joining Virginians in this historic place to lay out the next chapter of our story — a clear vision for a stronger, safer, and more affordable future for every American who calls our nation home.”
Nearly 250 years ago, Virginia lawmakers in Colonial Williamsburg voted to propose independence for the 13 colonies to form a new nation.
“Civil discourse and debate have been the hallmarks of Williamsburg’s history for more than 250 years,” Cliff Fleet, president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, said in a release. “As an educational organization dedicated to teaching about America’s founding, Colonial Williamsburg proudly advances this American legacy by encouraging civic engagement and hosting leaders from all sides of the political spectrum.”
Spanberger has ties to Williamsburg. She attended William & Mary early in her undergraduate career. She received an honorary degree Feb. 6 and spoke at the school’s Charter Day.
A former three-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Spanberger became Virginia’s first female governor this year after a resounding victory in November’s election. Her campaign focused on economic issues and appealing to centrists and independents as a moderate capable of working across the aisle.
After the election, Spanberger vowed to keep Virginia’s business environment steady through any trickle down effects of the Trump administration’s federal decisions.
“Right now we have chaos coming out of Washington that is damaging or challenging Virginia’s business environment, driving up costs, complicating planning and creating some barriers to growth,” Spanberger told business leaders at a Hampton Roads Chamber event in Virginia Beach. “We can’t afford to ignore the damage that we are seeing right to the economy coming from decisions made in Washington.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
