(The Center Square) – Virginia political leaders responded to remarks from the governor delivered at Colonial Williamsburg following the president’s State of the Union on Tuesday, offering sharply different views on the message and priorities outlined in the speech.
First-term Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s address focused on affordability, federal economic policy and immigration enforcement, with the governor criticizing tariff policies and pointing to persistent cost pressures facing households. Spanberger and her two chambers of the Legislature in Richmond have been criticized for winning November elections based on campaign slogans of affordability while proposing dozens of new taxes since taking office in January.
“As we watched our nation’s lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our president,” Spanberger said.
Spanberger framed her response around household financial strain, referencing costs tied to groceries, energy and housing. She also criticized immigration enforcement policies, describing them as harmful to families and communities.
Virginia House Republicans, however, used their televised response to emphasize a different issue: redistricting.
Del. Anne Ferrell Tata, R-Virginia Beach, centered the GOP response on Virginia’s voter-approved constitutional reforms governing how legislative maps are drawn. Tata argued the changes were intended to reduce political influence and preserve public trust.
“A few years ago, Virginians did something rare,” Tata said. “We agreed the old redistricting system wasn’t working. Too much power in the hands of politicians, too little trust from the public.”
Tata’s remarks portrayed redistricting as a test of institutional restraint rather than a routine policy disagreement.
“This isn’t about maps. It isn’t about party,” Tata said. “It’s about whether reform means something when it costs you.”
The emphasis on redistricting marked a clear shift from the governor’s remarks, which centered on national economic and policy themes.
Former Attorney General Jason Miyares also weighed in, criticizing Spanberger’s affordability message and pointing to policies he argued contributed to rising costs and economic pressures.
“Families are paying more for groceries, gas, and housing because of the very policies she championed,” Miyares wrote in a statement posted to social media.
Attorney General Jay Jones defended the governor’s remarks, saying Spanberger focused on rising household costs and the economic pressures facing Virginia families.
“Governor Spanberger focused on what families are actually facing: rising energy costs, grocery bills, and housing costs,” Jones said in a written statement.
The differing responses highlight the political and policy divisions surrounding the governor’s remarks.
Redistricting remains unresolved in Virginia as ongoing legal challenges over a proposed constitutional amendment and related litigation continue in the courts.
Tata closed the House GOP response with a warning about public confidence in government reforms.
“If we abandon voter-approved reform the moment it becomes uncomfortable, we prove why voters didn’t trust the system in the first place,” she said.
