Here’s How Colorado’s Congressional Delegation Reacted To Trump’s 2020 State Of The Union




The annual address to Congress is always a chance for presidents to offer a mix of aisle-crossing popular proposals and red-meat agenda setting, so it's no surprise that the reactions from the Coloradans in the audience split neatly along party lines.
“Tonight the President offered a call to put division behind us," Republican Senator Cory Gardner said in a statement after the speech, issuing his own call for the parties to work together on national security, health care costs, infrastructure, immigration, and public lands. “A divided Congress does not mandate a divisive Congress."
Gardner's focus on bipartisanship came on the eve of what is likely to be one of the most partisan days in recent Congressional memory, when the Senate will vote on whether to remove the president for allegedly subverting foreign policy for his personal political gain and refusing to cooperate in the House investigation into his actions.
Gardner's Democratic colleague, Sen. Michael Bennet, was harshly critical in his response to the speech, stating the president is ignoring the financial struggles of middle class Americans.
"Not surprisingly, tonight’s speech was full of half-truths and outright lies. In his boasts about the economy, the president ignored that the American economy is creating jobs at a slower rate than when Barack Obama was in his second term. He ignored that farm bankruptcies are at an eight-year high as a result of his reckless trade policies. He bragged instead about his tax cut that gave $37 billion to the wealthiest Americans and large corporations," Bennet said in a statement.
Among Colorado's House members, many aimed their responses at the most immediate audience: Twitter.
Donald Trump just arrived at the U.S. Congress to give a campaign speech. It’s a shame, with everything going on in the world right now, that he has stooped that low.
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) February 5, 2020
The President just delivered a campaign speech on the floor of the House, designed explicitly to further divide America rather than unite us.
— Rep. Joe Neguse (@RepJoeNeguse) February 5, 2020
My full statement ⬇ï¸#SOTU2020 https://t.co/wYwXfo9Cg2
We are in an unprecedented time in our country. Tonight, I had hoped to hear many ways in which Democrats and Republicans can work together to get things done for the hard working people in the middle. Unfortunately, I didn't hear much of that from the President. 1/2
— Ed Perlmutter (@RepPerlmutter) February 5, 2020
Tonight’s State of the Union was one of the best I’ve ever heard. I’m glad @realDonaldTrump gave a forward leaning speech and stood above partisan politics. #SOTU2020 pic.twitter.com/cdC1jpsvMY
— Rep. Doug Lamborn (@RepDLamborn) February 5, 2020
"For rural Coloradans in the Third District, the importance of the economic success story showcased tonight by @realDonaldTrump cannot be understated."
— Rep. Scott Tipton (@RepTipton) February 5, 2020
My full statement on the #SOTU here ⬇ï¸https://t.co/0e7JqdAbGL
The state of our union is stronger than ever before.
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) February 5, 2020
To keep this momentum going, Congress must focus on:
👨â€ðŸ‘©â€ðŸ‘¦ Supporting and promoting working families
🥠Lowering healthcare costs
👮 Securing our borders
🇺🇸 Protecting America’s national security#SOTU
Governor Jared Polis also weighed in. "We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history where we must reject the manufactured division that is being shoved forward for the sake of political gain and work together on bold efforts to expand opportunity for all," Polis said in a statement.
The governor bypassed any direct reference to the content of the president's speech, and instead noted the shout-out Colorado received in the Democratic rebuttal. While listing the accomplishments of her colleagues around the nation, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer noted that Polis succeeded in expanding free, full-day kindergarten statewide.
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