Abigail Spanberger gave Democrats’ response to Trump. But she didn’t have the stage to herself.
Politico
by By Aaron Pellish and Lisa KashinskyFebruary 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The Democratic Party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address was anything but unified. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the official rebuttal, focusing on affordability and criticizing Trump’s policies, but her message was drowned out by a series of competing events hosted by various Democratic-aligned groups. These events featured fiery rhetoric from progressive lawmakers like Rep. Summer Lee, who called for the impeachment of Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, who accused Trump of “rigging” the midterms. The lack of a cohesive response highlighted the party’s internal divisions over how to effectively challenge Trump and appeal to voters in the run-up to the midterms.
The chaos surrounding the rebuttals revealed the broader struggle within the Democratic Party to find a unified strategy against Trump. While some lawmakers, like Spanberger, aimed for a moderate tone, others, such as Rep. Becca Balint, adopted a more confrontational approach, declaring themselves “bareknuckled brawlers” ready to take on the administration. This divergence reflects the party’s ongoing debate over whether to focus on economic issues or adopt a more aggressive stance toward Trump and his policies. The absence of unity not only weakened their collective message but also underscored the challenges of reconciling different ideological factions within the party.
The competing events, which included high-profile participants like Robert De Niro and Joy Reid, were seen by some strategists as counterproductive. A uniform response, they argue, would have been more effective in capturing
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Originally published on Politico on 2/25/2026