Florida lawmakers send political message with guests to Donald Trump’s address to Congress

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost with Wilna Destin. Image via Frost.

President Donald Trump will return to the dais for his first address to Congress since winning a comeback term. And the guest list remains the talk of the town.

Members of Florida’s congressional delegation will fill seats with opinionated citizens and other newsmakers.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, plans to bring Tampa health care activist Karen Clay to the event. Clay has advocated for stronger coverage since her son Michael was diagnosed with a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy. Castor said she wants to spotlight the victims of potential cuts to federal services like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“Donald Trump, Congressional Republicans and Elon Musk want to steal health care from children to reward their billionaire donors and friends with massive tax breaks,” Castor said.

“While Trump and Republicans surround themselves with billionaires, my fellow Democrats and I are standing up for people like Karen Clay. Karen has fought tirelessly for years to preserve protections for Americans with preexisting conditions and stop Republican attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and strip health care away from millions of our neighbors back home in Florida. I’m thankful to have Karen as a strong partner as we gear up for the fight ahead to protect health care for Americans across the country.”

Clay plans to support health care protections put in place by former President Barack Obama.

“Health care is a lifeline, not a luxury. The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion have helped millions of families get the care they need, yet they remain under constant threat,” she said.

“I’m honored to join Congresswoman Kathy Castor to send a clear message that these programs aren’t just ‘extremely popular,’ they are desperately needed for the close to 72 million Americans that rely on them. We must protect and expand access to health care, not rip it away. Too many lives are at stake.”

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, will bring a union leader from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) as Trump oversees government layoffs.

“My guest for the State of the Union, Cynthia Boston-Thompson — Florida President of AFGE National, representing over 800,000 federal workers — is joining me as we head to Washington with a clear message: mass layoffs won’t lower costs,” Frankel posted.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, will focus on the potential threats of Trump’s deportation policies, and will bring Wilna Destin, a former labor organizer and Haitian temporary protected status (TPS) holder, as his guest. The Trump administration recently tossed an extension of protections for many Haitians in the U.S.

“The recent decision to eliminate TPS for Haitians is yet another cruel attack on immigrants from this administration, treating those seeking refuge with callousness rather than with dignity and respect,” Frost said. “Instead of spewing hateful rhetoric about immigrants, it’s time this administration recognizes immigrants as humans and vital members of our community by creating speedy pathways to citizenship for our most vulnerable and strengthening temporary protections until we do so, and that’s exactly the message we plan on sending to President Trump at this address.

“Our Haitian siblings — here in Central Florida, across the country, and on the island — need our support, empathy, and commitment to their well-being. Wilna has dedicated her life to that fight, not just for herself but for thousands of others whose futures are now also in limbo. Her courage and fierce advocacy make it an honor to have her as my guest.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, a Panama City Republican, is sending a less combative message with his guest. He will bring Wakulla County Sheriff Jared Miller to the speech.

“Florida law enforcement is the best in the country, and Sheriff Miller is leading the fight to keep our communities safe,” Dunn posted.

Also of note, First Lady Melania Trump will bring a Florida activist as one of her guests to the speech, parental rights advocate January Littlejohn. She was an advocate for Florida’s state law restricting instruction about gender ideology in schools, and was involved in a high-profile spat with Leon County Schools claiming teachers started allowing her to use a different gender identity in school without the parents’ knowledge.

“The school drove a wedge between January’s daughter and her parents, and deceived January about their covert plan to transition her daughter,” reads a release from the White House Communications Office.