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In a relatively rare move, progressive Democratic lawmaker Rashida Tlaib is planning to give a response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech. Her speech has raised concerns that it'll underscore party divisions as the midterm elections draw near.

The Working Families Party announced on Wednesday that it had selected Tlaib to deliver its response to Biden's address. Tlaib, who has previously clashed with party leaders and moderates, hinted that her speech will criticize the White House and Congressional Democrats for not moving more aggressively on legislative priorities while they still control the House and Senate.

"It should not be this hard to deliver on health care, climate, housing, child care, safety, voting rights, clean water and so much more," Tlaib said in a statement. "Democrats are in the majority and must set a new course that moves with a sense of urgency. Our communities deserve for us to act now."

Tlaib was first elected in 2018 to a Detroit-based House seat. As a member of the so-called "squad," a group of left-wing lawmakers, Tlaib has rankled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not being receptive to their approaches on the environment, health care and other issues.

More recently, Tlaib, along with other like-minded lawmakers, last year voted against the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill after failing to link it to the expansive Build Back Better social spending package. She has also criticized Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema as "corporate" Democrats over their opposition to the package.

The Build Back Better package, voting rights reform and other Democratic priorities have since stalled, raising debates about the party's direction as it heads into what's expected to be a bruising midterm.

Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman turned party critic, said on Twitter that Tlaib's speech would hurt the party.

"It is highly unusual for anyone FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OWN PARTY to give a response to the SOTU speech," Walsh said. "This is a silly political mistake. This is an in-kind donation to the Republican Party. This will only help Republicans take back the House & Senate."

Although a third party, the Working Families Party rarely runs its own candidates. Instead, it typically backs candidates that support its progressive policies. The party in a statement pointed to its efforts to elect Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock to the Senate in 2020 while electing progressive state legislators across the country.

According to the Working Families Party, Tlaib's response isn't the first time it has recruited Democrats to offer a response to the State of the Union. Previously, the response was given by Representative Jamaal Bowman in 2021, Representative Ayanna Pressley in 2020, Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor and former WFP national committee member Mandela Barnes in 2019 and former Representative Donna Edwards in 2018.

"Obstructionist Republicans and a handful of corporate Democrats have ground Washington to a standstill while child poverty spikes and costs continue to rise for housing, health care, and child care," Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchel said in a statement. "It doesn't have to be this way. Rashida will articulate a progressive vision for how we can meet the basic needs of the American people, and ensure all of us can thrive."

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is slated to give the Republican Party's rebuttal to Biden's address on Tuesday.

Newsweek has reached out to Tlaib, the Working Families Party and the White House for a response.

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Dem Division on Display as Progressives Plan Response to State of the Union - Newsweek