State of the Union 2015 Address: Republican Response by Sen. Joni Ernst: Who She Is, What To Expect from GOP Tonight
Freshman Sen. Joni Ernst from Iowa is set to deliver the Republican Party's response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night.
Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced Ernst will deliver the Republican Address to the Nation just weeks after she started her first term as Iowa's senator. For the GOP, Ernst is considered a rising star and delivering the Republican response could further elevate her presence on Americans. Ernst became Iowa's first female senator and the first female war veteran to serve in the U.S. senate.
"I am truly honored to deliver the Republican address," Ernst said in a statement about her selection for the GOP response. "It's a long way from Red Oak, Iowa to Washington, D.C. But now that I am here, I am excited to get to work in order to craft and implement real solutions as we chart a new path forward for our great nation."
Boehner and McConnell issued statements about Ernst's selection, both commenting on her background and how she "understands" the American middle class.
Ernst is expected to issue a rebuttal on several key issues Obama will address tonight. Key issues Obama is expected to comment on is defense of his immigration executive actions, tax system reforms, America's College Promise - also know as the free community college program, and national security including in the cyber community.
Images on social media, including Ernst's Facebook webpage, showed a preview on how she will address the nation. Ernst appears standing in what appears to be a home office, which is a contrast to the 2014 Republican response by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., who sat for her rebuttal in a home-type setting. McMorris Rodgers' response was delivered with ease compared to previous Republican rebuttals. In 2013, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., infamously reached for a bottle of water during his speech, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal received mixed response for his interaction with the camera.
Ernst's speech will be delivered in English, and it's possible Spanish-language listeners and viewers will miss her speech. The Republican Party elected another freshmen congressman to deliver the GOP's response in Spanish, with Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida.
The State of the Union address starts at 9 p.m. EST tonight. The Republican response will immediately follow.
President Obama's State of the Union Live Feed:
Republican Party's Response Live Feed:
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