Washington congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers will deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address next week, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell announced on Thursday.
McMorris Rodgers, who has been in Congress since 2005, currently serves as chairwoman of the House Republican Conference. Since 2009, she has served in House Republican leadership in other capacities. In his announcement, Boehner praised McMorris Rodgers as “proof that with humility, hard work, and dedication, you can overcome any obstacle — a story to which many Americans can relate.”
Last year, Florida senator Marco Rubio gave the Republican response, which gained widespread attention when he reached off-camera to grab a bottle of water.