Shortly after President Obama gives his final State of the Union address tonight, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will give the Republican response. It will be the first time since 2012 that a governor has given the GOP response instead of a member of Congress. Some pundits speculate that Haley’s moment in the spotlight may help prepare her for a run for higher office.
With that in mind, let’s look back at the seven Republicans who have responded to Obama State of the Union addresses, and find out where they are now.
Bobby Jindal
In only his second year as governor of Louisiana, Jindal was chosen to give the GOP response in 2009 to Obama’s first address to a joint session of Congress. Given Jindal’s American-Indian background, some pundits thought his speech would elevate him as a new leader in the GOP, and perhaps put him on a track towards the presidency. Jindal sat out the 2012 presidential race and made an unsuccessful run for president in 2016, never earning more than 2 percent in national polls. He left office Monday with polls showing lowly approval ratings around 30 percent. Jindal now says he is focused on the private sector but replied “never say never” when asked if he would ever run for office again.
Bob McDonnell
As the new governor of Virginia, McDonnell gave the GOP response in 2010. Today, McDonnell spends his days in legal battles trying to avoid jail time. McDonnell and his wife were indicted on federal corruption charges shortly after he left the governor’s office in January 2014. The indictment was spurred by more than $135,000 in gifts from Jonnie Williams, formerly the CEO of a dietary supplement company. McDonnell was convicted by a United States district court in September 2014. The conviction was upheld by a U.S. circuit court in August 2015. Now McDonnell is hoping the Supreme Court will take up his case. If his appeals are unsuccessful, McDonnell will likely have to serve two years in prison, as per the district court judge’s sentencing.
Paul Ryan
Then the new chair of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., gave the GOP response in 2011 after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections. Even if Ryan had remained chair of that committee or the House Ways and Means Committee today, he would have been one of the more successful responders. Instead, Ryan went on to be the GOP’s nominee for vice president in 2012 and rose to speaker of the House in October 2015 upon John Boehner’s retirement.
Mitch Daniels
Many hoped then-Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels would run for president in 2012. Though Daniels declined to run, it made sense to have the popular governor give the GOP response in January 2012, while several GOP candidates were still fighting for the presidential nomination. After leaving office in January 2013, Daniels became president of Purdue University, where he still serves today.
Marco Rubio
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., gave his infamous dry mouth State of the Union response in 2013. Rubio was audibly struggling before pausing to take a sip of water in the middle of his response. At the time, Rubio was already seen as a potentially strong presidential candidate, with his Cuban-American background and fusion of Tea Party and establishment support. Today, Rubio is in an intense battle for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. He still serves as a senator, but does not plan to run for re-election in 2016 and has been criticized for missing too many Senate votes while campaigning.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., had served as chair of the House Republican Conference for a year before she was chosen to give the State of the Union response in 2014. McMorris Rodgers won re-election to her House seat in 2014 with 61 percent of the vote. Today McMorris Rodgers still serves as chair of the House Republican Conference.
Joni Ernst
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, gave the GOP response in 2015, having just won her first Senate election. Ernst still serves in that capacity, and won’t be up for re-election until 2020.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
