Democrats Plan to Skip State of the Union Address

With limited ways to express discontent with the current administration, a notable number of Democrats are choosing to absent themselves as a way to divert attention from President Donald Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address.

Instead, many will participate in a “People’s State of the Union” event happening near the Lincoln Memorial. This gathering, promoted by left-leaning media and activist organizations Meidas Touch and MoveOn Civic Action, will center around critiques of Trump’s first presidential year.

Attendees will include senators like Ed Markey from Massachusetts and Tina Smith from Minnesota, among others.

House Democrats in attendance will feature representatives such as Yassamine Ansari (D-Arizona) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington). A few Democratic members have opted not to join the State of the Union but are not involved in any counter-events. For instance, Sen. Ruben Gallego from Arizona and Rep. Jared Golden from Maine will be staying away.

As the Democrats navigate this terrain, they seem to struggle with finding effective methods to convey their opposition to the State of the Union. In a previous address, Democratic Rep. Al Green from Texas famously interrupted Trump’s speech, brandishing a cane and shouting.

Subsequently, House Speaker Mike Johnson had to call on the sergeant-at-arms to remove Green, who wouldn’t comply peacefully. Green mentioned that he intends to maintain his “peaceful protest” during this year’s address.

This year, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has advised members of his party to consider two options regarding the State of the Union: either attend in quiet defiance or skip the event altogether to send a clear message to the president. Jeffries has stated he will still attend, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York.