McMorris Rodgers to give GOP response to State of Union address

U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane will deliver the Republican Party’s response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address next week.

Her selection was announced Thursday by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

“Through the lens of her family’s experiences, Cathy will share our vision for a better America built on a thriving middle class,” Boehner said in prepared remarks. “We are grateful to Cathy for lending her voice and perspective to this national occasion.”

The response to the State of the Union is usually reserved for the opposition party’s rising stars. Last year’s GOP response was given by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida. Former vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan, a Republican lawmaker from Wisconsin who serves as the chief budget writer in the House, gave the party’s response in 2011.

In a statement, McMorris Rodgers gave few clues as to the content of the speech.

“I am honored to speak with Americans in every corner of the country on Tuesday and to share our Republican vision for a better future – one that trusts the American people and doesn’t limit where you finish because of where you started.”

McMorris Rodgers is the fourth-ranking Republican in the GOP-controlled House and is serving her fifth term.