Democrat Sens. Ed Markey, Adam Schiff, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Tina Smith, Chris Van Hollen, and others are expected to skip the speech.
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Several Democrats are planning to skip the State of the Union (SOTU) and instead attend a left-wing protest called the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall. A growing number of left-wing lawmakers have said they will be boycotting the speech, and around 20 of them are slated to attend the rally event, which is being put together by left-wing organizations MoveOn and MeidasTouch.
Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CN), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Reps. John Larson (CT), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Becca Balint (D-VT), Greg Casar (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) are among those expected to join the rally.
Larson has been in Congress for nearly three decades, and said this will be the first one he will miss. “We’ll be criticized for it. I get that. But I’m willing to take the heat for being willing to tell the truth,” he told NOTUS.
“This isn’t just people sitting there meekly listening and absorbing,” Larson added. “[Trump is] entitled to say whatever he wants to say, and he should be listened to respectfully while he’s there — anyone, for that matter. But I’m under no obligation to sit through it, and further, believe that I have an obligation to make sure that people hear that there is a distinct other side to this.”
Others are not sure of their plans. Trans-identified male lawmaker from Delaware, Sarah McBride, is exploring other options but “currently” plans to go to the SOTU speech. “I hesitate to allow Donald Trump to speak to a room of exclusively sycophants,” McBride said.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) will be in attendance, as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). “We’re not going to Donald Trump’s house. He’s coming to our house. It’s my view that you don’t let anyone ever run you off of your block,” Jeffries said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has not announced her exact plans, but said she will not be in attendance. “I don’t believe I’ve attended a Trump SOTU since 2020. I refuse to legitimize him with my presence,” she said.
