US Capitol Building at night
Members of Southern Arizona's congressional delegation have their plus-ones picked for Tuesday's State of the Union address.
Two members of the delegation, one from each chamber, took it as an opportunity to make a statement about politics or their political or social priorities.
Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego announced his guest will be Kyle Rahn, a disabled veteran and federal worker who was recently fired during the cuts to the federal workforce.
"I invited Kyle to the State of the Union because I want Trump, Musk, and their DOGE minions to look him in the eyes and see the faces of the people their reckless chaos is hurting. They aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet they can’t understand, they’re the real people who truly make America great," Gallego said in a statement announcing the invite.
On the House side, Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani is bringing Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple. Ciscomani highlighted the role of law enforcement in keeping the country safe in his announcement.
"It is an honor to welcome newly elected Sheriff of Pinal County, Ross Teeple, as my guest for President Trump's Joint Address to Congress. The I-10, which runs through Pinal County, is a key corridor for trade, tourism and local traffic; but, also drug trafficking. The brave men and women who serve as police officers here play a key role in keeping communities safe and commerce running smoothly," he said.
A staffer in Democratic Senator Mark Kelly's office told AZPM in an email that he will bring his twin brother and fellow astronaut Scott Kelly. No reason was given. While the familial connection can be made, the two recently engaged in a spat on X with Elon Musk when he claimed that two American astronauts have been stuck at the International Space Station for nine months for "political reasons."
Democratic Representative Raul Grijalva has made no announcement and messages sent to his office were not returned. The congressman has missed almost every vote since the 2024 election as he is treated for cancer.
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