TEXAS — Outgoing Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, will attend his 32nd and final State of the Union tonight.
“The State of the Union is an opportunity for the President to work to try to bring the country together until Trump,” Doggett said. “What’s most memorable is how very different Trump is from any president or Republican or Democrat that we have had in the past.”
Doggett was first sworn into Congress in 1995, attending former President Bill Clinton’s address to the nation later that year. As Texas’ longest-serving member and dean of the state’s congressional delegation, he has been in the audience for speeches from five U.S. presidents.
He says the tradition of the State of the Union, the address presidents give to Congress, has changed dramatically under President Trump.
“He’s taken it to a new low,” Doggett said. “He doesn’t seem to be ever focused on bringing our country together, only on insisting that Republicans remain united in providing him unqualified and unquestioned support.”
In recent years, disruptions and protests during the State of the Union have become common. Last year, Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, was escorted from the chamber and later censured after causing a disturbance during the speech. This year, several Democrats, including Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, are choosing to boycott the address and instead attend the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall.
“Americans don’t need a rambling, two hour lecture from Trump,” Casar said in a statement. “We need our money back. He owes us: $1,700 in illegal tariffs per family, $4 billion he’s profited off the presidency, and $1 trillion he stole in tax breaks for the ultra-rich. Spare us the speech. Pay up or shut up.”
Doggett explained why he decided to attend Trump’s address this year.
“I believe it’s important not to yield the floor of the people’s house to Trump and his enablers for essentially a campaign rally,” he said.
Members of the House and Senate are traditionally accompanied by guests, whom they sometimes use to send a political message. This year, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is bringing National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) President Paul Perez.
Outgoing Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Fort Bend, who has served in Congress since 2021 and announced his retirement this past year, is being accompanied by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is looking to unseat Sen. Cornyn this year in what’s become a contentious Senate race.
In an interview with Spectrum News, Nehls said, “I want people to get familiar with this face,” as to why he’s bringing Paxton: “That’s the face of the next senator from the great state of Texas.”
“I’m also excited about hearing what else he wants to do,” Paxton said, speaking about President Trump. “I know this guy is creative, and I know the President of the United States has got some great plans for this country.”
For Doggett, he hopes the American people have a different sort of plan.
“Democracy doesn’t always produce perfect results, but I believe that this is a year when enough Americans care, when they can see how our country is going in the wrong direction, and they have the power in a democracy to do something about it,” Doggett said.