Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders might have been chosen to ship the official GOP response to President Biden's State of the Union speech on Tuesday, however different high-profile Republicans and potential presidential contenders had been additionally prepared with their very own speedy reactions to his deal with.
Their responses provided an early preview of how they may run towards Mr. Biden, their doubtless 2024 basic election opponent, ought to he select to run for reelection.
Former President Donald Trump, the one formally declared Republican candidate for 2024, posted dwell reactions on his Reality Social platform all through the deal with.
His posts ranged from observations about Mr. Biden's efficiency — "An excessive amount of use of the phrase 'people!'" — to criticism of Republicans who applauded throughout his speech.
"I discover Mitt Romney and among the RINOs leaping up and down with applause for the flawed causes!" he wrote.
Trump additionally shared a two-minute video slamming the Biden administration on immigration, excessive gasoline costs and crime.
Within the publish of the video, Trump wrote that Biden "labored laborious tonight" and that "you have to give him credit score for attempting."
"I disagree with him on most of his insurance policies, however he put into phrases what he felt, and he ended the night far stronger than he started," Trump wrote. "Many issues weren't talked about that ought to have been, however that is for an additional time."
Trump, whose dealing with of labeled paperwork discovered at his resort in Mar-a-Lago is beneath investigation by the Justice Division, known as the division "weaponized" and mentioned it's "persecuting" political opponents. The Justice Division can be investigating labeled paperwork from Mr. Biden's tenure as vp that had been discovered at his former workplace and his residence in Wilmington, Del.
His 2024 marketing campaign typically despatched out releases as effectively, hitting Biden on every part from his coverage on China to schooling and "mother and father' rights."
Earlier than the deal with, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, too, launched a video criticizing Mr. Biden.
She took concern along with his withdrawal from Afghanistan, which she known as "one of the consequential failures of his presidency."
Through the speech, she criticized the president on immigration, inflation and international coverage, and known as for "a brand new era of management," in a tweet.
Haley is predicted to announce her 2024 presidential run on Feb. 15 in Charleston, turning into the primary notable Republican to compete towards Trump within the major.
Former Vice President Mike Pence tweeted after Biden's deal with that it "confirmed one factor: That it's time for brand new Republican management to get our Nation again to the energy and prosperity we had beneath the Trump-Pence Administration."
Pence and Haley typically path Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in early 2024 polls on a hypothetical presidential major discipline. In a nationwide ballot launched Monday by the conservative group Membership for Progress Motion, Trump led the sector with 37%. DeSantis was second at 33%, adopted by Pence at 7% and Haley with 5%.
DeSantis' official Twitter accounts didn't publish throughout or instantly after the State of the Union, although his crew's speedy response account was energetic.
Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who was a preferred Republican governor in a traditionally Democratic state, mentioned in a press release that whereas Mr. Biden had campaigned on unity, "America is extra divided and fed up than ever" and that "extra rhetoric will not repair any of those pressing challenges or get our nation again on monitor."
"In November, the American folks voted for change as a result of they wish to cease the reckless spending, enhance our home vitality manufacturing, get robust on violent crime, and deal with the disaster on the border," he mentioned. "To satisfy his marketing campaign promise, I urge President Biden to work with Congress to search out widespread sense options to those pressing challenges."
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, in a telephone name with CBS Information earlier than the State of the Union, sharply critiqued Biden on China, and known as him "tender" and mentioned he ought to "shoot straight" on China and never "ignore the spy balloon" in his remarks.
Requested about his personal potential run in 2024, Youngkin mentioned he was "fully centered on the Commonwealth of Virginia proper now."
Fin Gomez and Robert Costa contributed reporting.