Democrats Pick Abigail Spanberger to Counter Trump as ICE Deal and Tax Fights Loom

Democrats have chosen Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to deliver their official response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union a move Republicans say perfectly captures the party’s contradictions.

Spanberger, who won the governorship in November by more than 15 percentage points, will take center stage Tuesday night as Trump outlines his first year back in office. The president is expected to focus on border security, military modernization, economic growth, and ongoing negotiations over Department of Homeland Security funding.

Spanberger says the country is at a “defining moment.” Critics say she’s already broken key promises.

One of Spanberger’s first acts in office was reversing her Republican predecessor Glenn Youngkin’s cooperation agreement between Virginia law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

That decision ended a 287(g)-style partnership allowing state and local officials to coordinate more directly with federal immigration authorities. Supporters of the reversal argue it restores trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. Opponents warn it weakens public safety and limits cooperation with ICE in removing criminal illegal immigrants.

Immigration remains a dominant national issue. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded over 2.4 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2023, one of the highest totals on record. Polling consistently shows border security ranking among the top concerns for voters heading into 2024.

For Republicans, the ICE reversal undermines Spanberger’s image as a pragmatic moderate.

During the campaign, Spanberger emphasized affordability. But Virginia Democrats have since faced backlash over proposals critics say would raise taxes and energy costs.

Virginia Senate Republicans highlighted a bill they introduced to eliminate the state’s car tax entirely a proposal Democrats rejected. They also blocked a separate bill that would have studied eliminating the tax.

“Fake Moderate Abigail Spanberger,” the Virginia Senate GOP wrote on social media, accusing her of staying silent after pledging to work with “any party” on car tax relief.

Meanwhile, the White House has sharpened its messaging. A spokesperson accused Spanberger and congressional Democrats of backing tax increases while opposing Republican-backed tax relief measures.

At the federal level, Republicans point to working- and middle-class tax refunds and efforts to extend earlier tax cuts. Democrats argue Trump-era tax policy disproportionately benefited corporations and high earners.

Spanberger will not be the only Democrat speaking Tuesday night. Sen. Alex Padilla of California is slated to deliver a Spanish-language response, while progressive groups are organizing a “People’s State of the Union” rally on the National Mall.

Some Democrats have escalated their rhetoric further, accusing Trump of authoritarian tendencies a charge Republicans dismiss as partisan hyperbole.

State of the Union responses have long served as launching pads for rising political figures. Last year, Sen. Elissa Slotkin delivered the Democratic rebuttal. In 2024, Sen. Katie Britt spoke for Republicans during President Biden’s final year in office.

Spanberger built her brand in Congress as a centrist Democrat willing to break with party leadership. But her early actions as governor particularly scrapping the ICE agreement and aligning with the General Assembly on tax policy have drawn skepticism from the right.

As Trump lays out his vision on border enforcement, economic growth, and national security, Spanberger’s rebuttal will likely focus on cost-of-living concerns and governance tone.

The contrast will be sharp: a president touting border crackdowns and tax cuts versus a Democratic governor defending her party’s approach to immigration and affordability.

Whether voters see Spanberger as a genuine moderate or as a partisan placeholder may shape not only her political future but the broader direction of the Democratic Party.

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