Washington (CNN) – Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell will deliver the Republican response to President Obama's first State of the Union address next Wednesday.
McDonnell won the Virginia governorship last November, reversing nearly a decade of Democratic gains in the purple state. He was sworn in as governor of the commonwealth last weekend.
After his resounding victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds, Republican strategists pointed to McDonnell's path to victory - focusing on economic issues while remaining committed to conservative principles - as a blueprint for future GOP successes in the 2010 midterm elections.
In 2006, Democrats tapped then-Gov. Tim Kaine to deliver the response to President Bush's State of the Union speech for similar reasons; national officials saw Kaine's win in Virginia the previous year as a sign that Democrats were finding ways to win elections in traditionally-red states.
"Gov. McDonnell understands that the American people are more interested in shrinking unemployment than expanding government," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement announcing the decision. "He is an impressive public servant and an excellent choice to offer Republican solutions for our country."
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said McDonnell "has offered common-sense economic policies in stark contrast to Washington Democrats' job-killing agenda."
– CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
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YOU need to figure out how you're going to save our jobs in our school district.
LAST YEAR, the stimulus helped us!!! What's going to happen this year?????
I hear YA'LL can't even get the General Assembly straight that's going on now... Are YOU currently offering "...common-sense economic policies in stark contrast to Washington Democrats' job-killing agenda."???????????? If so, then our $50,000,000 deficit would be NO PROBLEM and teachers/other employees would not LOSE their jobs!!!
Yes, McDonnell focused on economic issues to hide his radically dangerous religious beliefs during the campaign. And the weak candidate Deeds was easy to beat. Yes, McDonnell knew what to say as he campaigned and what truth not to speak. And the lazy corporate media gave him a free pass. Now we have four years with this Pat Robertson clone.
Cuccinelli is another religious nut who was elected when he hid his true radical self. Cuccinelli held the seat since 1992 but it went to a moderate Dem two weeks ago in our special election.
The Repubs try to twist and hide reality at every opportunity because they know that when people know the truth Repubs don't get elected.
Top 10 States in financial trouble and their leadership
California – R
Illinois – D
Arizona – R
Nevada – R
New Jersey – R
See a pattern? The conservatives run tight ships right?
Why does there even need to be "Response" to the State of Union?? Is he privy to information our President is not? Or is it just something both parties have always done to win votes in the next election? I think the networks should stop covering these "responses" and tell the morons to get back to work – both parties!
Why do we need a Republican response? Is it to call the President a liar again? That the State of the Union is not what our President says it is? How presumptious. Stop playing polital chess and fix the mess your party left the State of the Union in when you were booted from the Presidency and the majorities in both the House and Senate.
An Open Question to all the Obamabots out there: Why are you fools so intent on blaming Brown's win to a bad Coakley campaign, healthcare, or the Dem Congress? Why are you so scared to admit that your "Messiah" has some blame for this as well?
He sat on his keister and let Queen Nancy and Dirty Harry run the show for a year. He preached hope and change, a new type of politics, a different Washington. He was so forceful and eloquent as a campaigner with so little experience. Then he lets the Congressional Stooges write the stimulus bill and the bank bill, and he's forced to defend a bad bill. Then he let them try to ram a trillion $$$ govt take over of healthcare down our throats, and when the Dems get trounced in VA, NJ, and now MA, you scream about bad candidates and inept Congressional leadership. But you're beloved NObama gets off scotch-free. "He's still popular with the American people", you keep saying. What a bunch of bull.
You've been slapped around in Nov 2009 and Jan 2010. You'll be KO'D in Nov 2010. And if you honestly think that Mr. Hope and Change can continue his "blame Bush" and "I inherited this mess" whinefest, along with his 4-year World Apology Tour, and think he's going to win in Nov 2012 then you are just as delusional as your precious leader. He WILL be held accountable for his failed leadership, and if the Obamafest media won't do it, the voters will in 2012.
WHO CARES!
I really hope these idoits in DC are ready to listen to us the people and work together... Or they will all suffer at polls come November 2010.
Virginia represents the new GOP Renaissance that will defeat the failed liberalism behind Obama's agenda.
Let's hope that another attention-seeking Senator will not be allowed to interrupt and shout down the President of the United States. Such disrespect to the office - and hence, to our country - should not be tolerated.
All you will hear is more Pat Robertson phoney love/hate speak since McDonnel attended Pat Robertson University. McDonnel won because the Democrats did not have enough sense to nominate the man who could win Terry McAulliffe. Same thing happened in Mass. this week. Wake up Dem's.
This state will stay red for the next 30 years that purple deal has bankrupted the state thinks to Warner and Kain big spenders and taxer.
I bet he proposes tax cuts, without the necessary offsetting cuts in spending. Ah. The dirty little secret of the current political climate. No politician, from any party ever cuts spending, because when you cut spending, you always upset some large, important, voting block.
It is "the common sense economic policies" of the republican party that flushed this country down the toilet in the first place.
It is interesting – in a tragic way, how spin is put on words to project a reality that is not reality at all.
Look at history.
Rock on Bob!
Both sides....blah, blah, blah...
GOP: I hate Democrates.
DEM: I hate Republicans.
The country is in a mess because both sides have sold out to big business.
Both sides have divided the country and a house divided cannot stand.
Neither side Dem/GOP can save us, both sides have held the majority and both sides have failed. The only success either has had is in dividing citizen against citizen...Ding, Ding, Ding, US Civil War Round 2.
HMMM, do we take a little time to think or do we take the Steele approach and just start complaining while Obama is still saying goodbye.