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In a measured response to Trump’s congressional address, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan delivered her party’s rebuttal, emphasizing bipartisan values and drawing inspiration from former Republican President Ronald Reagan.

The moderate Democrat, who won election in a Trump-supporting state, leveraged her background as a CIA analyst to connect with voters across the political spectrum. She emphasized common ground on issues like national security and democratic principles, even as her party wrestles with its approach to Trump’s resurgence.

Slotkin’s selection as the rebuttal speaker highlighted the Democratic Party’s internal tensions, with progressive members expressing their disapproval of Trump through protests and walkouts during his speech.

When addressing Trump’s stance on the Ukraine conflict, Slotkin drew a sharp contrast with Reagan’s legacy. She referenced the recent controversial exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that led to a halt in U.S. aid. “After the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling over in his grave,” Slotkin said. “We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity.”

The senator challenged Trump’s economic policies, suggesting they were harmful to middle-class Americans – a demographic that shifted towards Trump in the recent election. This critique aligned with Democrats’ post-election strategy of emphasizing economic issues, following their realization that they had insufficiently addressed voters’ primary concerns during the campaign.

“Do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close,” she said.

While acknowledging voter concerns about immigration and government spending – areas where Trump claimed success – Slotkin contested his methods of addressing these issues.

She concluded with an appeal to voters, offering her party as an alternative to Trump’s leadership: “I promise that I, and my fellow Democrats, will do everything in our power to be the principled leaders that you deserve.”