Governor Gretchen Whitmer will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address - promoting criticism from Livingston County Republicans.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer made the announcement Friday. They praised Whitmer for her efforts to ensure clean drinking water in communities across Michigan, which was scarred by the 2014 Flint water crisis. The State of the Union address will be delivered on February 4th. The Chair of the Livingston County Republican Party, Meghan Reckling, says its obvious by their choice that Michigan will once again be a battleground state in the presidential election. Reckling says that “unfortunately they’re so distracted by their hyper-partisan impeachment efforts that they have failed tomrealize Governor Gretchen Whitmer has not even been able to unify her own party since her election.” Reckling asserts that Whitmer could bot even convince a member of her party to sponsor her gas tax hike proposal - which she says Democratic leaders labeled as “extreme”. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes released a statement saying Whitmer has been a “fierce leader who has always stood by the side of Michigan’s working families”, adding she’s proud Whitmer was chosen to take a stand and highlight how Donald Trump’s “broken promises have devastated the state.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas will deliver the Spanish-language response to Trump’s address. Escobar, of El Paso, attended a protest rally in August ahead of Trump’s visit to the city after anmass shooting at a Walmart that killed 22 people. Police said the gunman specifically targeted Mexicans. (JM)