You can expect members of Connecticut congressional delegation and other politicians to be tweeting, blogging and posting their responses to President Obama’s State of the Union speech tonight.
It starts at 9 p.m. and you can follow along live by clicking here.
But one member of the delegation–Rep. Elizabeth Esty–has already sent out a full video response to the speech. Her office says her remarks were intended to preview the President’s remarks. The video was sent out before copies of President Obama’s speech had been made public.
We’ve got the video of her full remarks below, but here are the highlights: she touts the importance of job creation (particularly in manufacturing and biomedical technology), STEM education, infrastructure projects, an increase in the federal minimum wage, shielding Social Security and Medicare from cuts.
She also praises the Affordable Care Act, though she says that it needs some changes (she doesn’t say exactly what).
And in one of her final points, she says this about gun control:
It’s simply shameful that Congress has not acted and that some in the Senate blocked enhanced criminal background checks despite the support of a bipartisan majority, despite the overwhelming support of the American people.
I expect the President tonight to renew his call challenging Congress to act so that our families and our communities are safer and stronger.
Esty is a Democrat representing Connecticut’s 5th District, which includes Danbury, Bethel, Newtown, Brookfield and New Fairfield, among other towns. Like the rest of the delegation, she’s up for re-election in November.
Here’s the video of her full remarks: