State of the Union 2023: New Illinois congresswoman tapped to give Working Families Party response

CHICAGO (WLS) — She’s solely been a member of Congress for a month, but U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez has been tapped by the progressive Working Households Celebration to ship a response to President Biden’s State of Union deal with.

“I have been extraordinarily nervous, but additionally feeling indescribable gratitude,” Ramirez mentioned. “They might have chosen lots of people.”

Ramirez was simply elected to Illinois’ new third Congressional District, which incorporates parts of Chicago and the western suburbs.

“If you find yourself featured as a part of the State of the Union deal with, that may be a massive deal,” ABC7 political analyst Laura Washington mentioned. “She is going to get a whole lot of nationwide consideration. She’ll been seen as a political participant.”

SEE ALSO | ChatGPT bot channels historical past to pen State of Union speech

For the previous couple State of the Union addresses, the grassroots Working Households get together has been giving a response. Whereas Ramirez’s speech will observe the Republican response, she says her deal with shouldn’t be a rebuttal to the president’s speech, however to speak about extra points that have an effect on working folks.

“What I’ll be doing is encouraging the get together and the president, my president, to go for additional and do extra for folks within the subsequent two years,” Ramirez mentioned.

With the nationwide highlight on her, Ramirez may very well be thought-about a rising Latino star within the progressive wing of the Democratic Celebration – a place held by New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, generally known as AOC.

“I think she is simply as far left as AOC is, however she does not come throughout in an excessive manner,” Washington mentioned. “She’s not going to be seen as an extremist.”

Ramirez says she is a progressive with lived experiences: she’s proud to be the one member of Congress married to a DACA recipient and her private story of being a daughter of Guatemalan immigrants is prone to resonate with Latino voters, a key swing vote within the subsequent presidential election.

“I am the daughter of immigrants and a lady who crossed the border in her first trimester and virtually died drowning within the Rio Grande,” Ramirez mentioned, “and he or she did all the pieces doable so her daughter would have a life completely different than hers.”

In her speech, Ramirez mentioned she will probably be speaking about concrete proposals the president can get accomplished with govt motion. She’ll contact on points like immigration reform and the appropriate to housing.