National Republicans believe they were handed an early midterm elections present during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, when President Donald Trump baited Democrats into going on the record and opposing that the duty of the federal government is to protect U.S. citizens, not illegal immigrants.
The House GOP’s campaign arm is already betting the split-screen moment will resonate with voters and plans to use the viral moment to portray Democrats in must-win seats as out of touch.
“Every single vulnerable House Democrat should get comfortable re-watching the moment they revealed they’re nothing more than America-hating scums who stayed glued to their seats while President Trump called on protecting American citizens over criminal illegal immigrants,” National Republican Campaign Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella said in the statement to the Washington Examiner. “The ads write themselves.”
The NRCC is prevented by election regulations from using footage of the House floor in campaign ads. The prohibition will likely force GOP groups to get creative as they won’t be able to use the actual clip of Trump and the seated Democrats.
On Wednesday, the NRCC sent out emails and press releases targeting vulnerable Democrats on the issue, such as Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Adam Gray (D-CA), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) for remaining seated.
“Henry Cuellar choose[s] illegals over Texans,” one release is titled. It links to a New York Post article featuring Trump saying the Democrats should be “ashamed.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee also reposted multiple posts on X blasting Democrats for sitting during Trump’s speech when the president spoke about a handful of citizens who were killed by illegal immigrants.
“President Trump is right that Democrats like Jon Ossoff should be ashamed for refusing to stand up,” NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “They made it clear to every American that their allegiance is to illegals, and it will be another reason voters reject Democrats again in 2026.”
Trump took on a combative tone during most of his speech, calling Democrats “crazy” and saying they should be ashamed for failing to stand or clap during multiple instances. The president’s goading did not get a response from a majority of the Democrats in attendance.
Most adhered to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-NY) recommendations to sit in “silent defiance.” Yet, as the president spoke for over two hours, a handful started heckling or left the chamber altogether in protest. Some, even waived signs, such as Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), who displayed one with the faces of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two U.S. citizens fatally shot by federal immigration officers.
“Last night, every single Democrat made it clear that they are once again on the wrong side of a 90-10 issue,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told the Washington Examiner. “From now until Election Day, Republicans will be reminding voters that Democrats’ priority is criminal illegal aliens, and our priority is the American people.”
Democrats are already anticipating the GOP attacks. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters on Wednesday that “of course” Democrats support Americans when asked why the Democrats did not stand.
“We’re not going to be a prop in Donald Trump’s little show,” he said.
Jeffries blasted Republicans for “standing up and down like lap dogs” during a press conference at the House Democrats’ retreat in Virginia. He added the Democratic response was “appropriately restrained and forceful at the same period of time” when asked about heckling or a protest from Rep. Al Green (D-TX).
The Washington Examiner reached out to Jeffries for comment on the current and future GOP campaign attacks.
HOUSE DEMOCRATS IGNORE HAKEEM JEFFRIES’ PLEA TO SIT SILENT AT STATE OF THE UNION
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee told the Washington Examiner that House Democrats have been clear they want to close the border and fix a broken immigration system, “both of which can be done without shooting American citizens on their own streets and terrorizing communities.”
“Republicans’ overreach in enacting their immigration enforcement has turned voters against them, as poll after poll has shown,” DCCC Communications Director Courtney Rice said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Meanwhile, Trump continues to downplay and mock voters’ concerns over how expensive everything is – and Republicans refuse to say or do anything to the contrary. Their cruelty and refusal to listen to voters’ concerns will be why they lose in November.”
Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this report.
