Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers GOP response to Biden's State of the Union address

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) delivered the Republican response to President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday night. She gave her speech standing in front of the Iowa State Capitol, wearing a pin of crossed American and Ukrainian flags.
Reynolds began by criticizing Biden's foreign policy record, especially the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, and argued that U.S. sanctions on Russia are inadequate. "Weakness on the world stage has a cost, and the president's response has consistently been too little too late," Reynolds argued.
Turning to domestic issues, she recalled working as a grocery store cashier in the 1980s and seeing how devastating high inflation was for working-class Americans.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Reynolds slammed Biden for what she described as the reckless spending contained in his stalled Build Back Better bill. "Even members of his own party said, 'Enough is enough,'" she said.
She then waded into hot-button cultural issues, telling her audience that Americans are "tired of people pretending the way to end racism is by categorizing everybody by their race," of "politicians who tell parents they should ... let government control their kids' education and future," and of COVID-19 "theater."
Reynolds also addressed rising violent crime, blaming "liberal prosecutors" for "letting criminals off easy" and alleging that "many prominent Democrats still want to defund the police."
Reynolds then pivoted to Republicans' accomplishments, beginning with many GOP governors' refusal to allow strict COVID-19 lockdowns, mandates, and school closures.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Iowa, she boasted, "was the first state in the nation to require that schools open their doors."
On the economic front, Reynolds touted her tax cuts in Iowa and noted that of the 20 states with the lowest unemployment rates in the country, 17 have Republican governors.
"Republicans may not have the White House, but we're doing what we can to fill the leadership vacuum," she said. "We're respecting your freedom."
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
5 artfully drawn cartoons about Donald Trump's Epstein doodle
Cartoons Artists take on a mountainous legacy, creepy art, and more
-
Violent videos of Charlie Kirk’s death are renewing debate over online censorship
Talking Points Social media ‘promises unfiltered access, but without guarantees of truth and without protection from harm’
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'