Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will give the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address on March 1, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced on Tuesday.
Reynolds will be the third politician from Iowa to deliver the response to the State of the Union since the tradition began in 1966 after Sen. Joni Ernst delivered the GOP response in 2015 and Sen. Tom Harkin took part in a joint Democratic response in 1984.
McConnell said in a statement: "While Washington Democrats fail working Americans, Republican governors are fighting and winning for families. Governor Kim Reynolds' brave, bold, and successful leadership for Iowans has put her right at the front of that pack.
"She fought COVID without forgetting common sense and protected Iowans' health and their rights at the same time. She's defended kids and parents with laws that have kept students in classrooms and woke propaganda out. She has even taken action to address our border crisis while the Biden Administration makes it worse. I am thrilled the American people will hear directly from Gov. Reynolds. The President and his team should take notes."
He added, "During the pandemic, Gov. Reynolds became a national leader in effectively balancing lives and livelihoods. She was the first Governor in the country to require schools to open for full-time in-person learning. She has led on cutting taxes, parental choice in education, election integrity, child care and mental health.
"The governor is also leading the effort to keep Iowa's communities safe, supporting law enforcement and working with fellow Republican governors to protect our nation's borders during President Biden's absent leadership."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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