WASHINGTON — Sen. Patty Murray will not attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, opting to deliver her own speech from the Senate that day, she announced Thursday.
“I’m not attending his State of the Union to listen to him ramble and lie,” the senior Democrat from Washington state said. “Instead, I’ll be sharing the ways he’s hurting hardworking Americans.”
Reps. Pramila Jayapal, of Seattle, and Emily Randall, of Bremerton, also intend to skip the State of the Union address, scheduled for Feb. 24, and rally at an alternate event near the Capitol. “I do not need to attend the State of the Union address just to listen to more lies. Costs are up, unemployment is up, and millions of people cannot afford food, medicine or rent,” Jayapal said in a statement.
The lawmakers are among the growing number of Democrats who have declared they will skip the tradition this year — their latest attempt to register dissent during Trump’s remarks to Congress.
Last year, Texas Rep. Al Green stood and shouted at the president — he was removed from the chamber — while other Democrats held signs that condemned Trump’s allies as well, such as “Musk steals.” Murray did not attend that address either, and Jayapal has skipped at least one of Trump’s previous State of the Union addresses.
This year, as a sizable number of Democrats say they are boycotting the event, some, like Jayapal and Randall, plan to instead gather at the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall, organized by the left-wing advocacy group MoveOn and progressive media company MeidasTouch.
Murray will deliver a livestreamed address to Washington state, joined by residents of the state, her office said Thursday. “She will outline exactly how President Trump has failed hardworking Americans and thrown the country into chaos,” the event page says.
It is unclear how many Democratic members of Congress will attend Trump’s address.
The White House dismissed Democrats’ lack of attendance, saying that Democrats have voted against American interests, such as on issues of border security and the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
“It’s not a surprise that they refuse to celebrate and honor the Americans who have benefitted from the commonsense policies Republicans have governed with,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement Thursday.
Other members of Washington state’s congressional delegation still plan to attend. Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell said she will bring Washington state’s Secretary of State Steve Hobbs as her guest to the address.
“I hope to bring attention in Washington, D.C., to Washington’s voter laws, our unbelievable participation in vote by mail and why my colleagues have to stop the SAVE (America) Act,” Cantwell said, referring to legislation recently passed by House Republicans that would impose stringent new proof-of-citizenship requirements ahead of the midterm elections.
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, has invited a Walla Walla High School teacher to join him at the address, and Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, plans to attend, but sans guest. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, will also be there, though it was unknown Thursday if she will bring someone.
Some congressional Democrats, like Rep. Adam Smith, of Bellevue, remain undecided about whether they will attend.
