WASHINGTON — The invitation list for President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Thursday speaks volumes about what Democrats and Republicans want to focus on as the 2024 election season heats up.
Guests who have been invited for the speech will represent the largest topics in national politics, such as reproductive rights and gun control.
Some notable North Texans will be sitting in the galleries as guests of state and federal leaders. Here are the ones we know of as of Thursday evening.
Kate Cox
Kate Cox of Dallas will attend the State of the Union as a guest of First Lady Jill Biden.
Cox sued the State of Texas to get permission to terminate her pregnancy after she learned of her fetus' lethal diagnosis.
She was granted permission at first, but it was then halted by the Texas Supreme Court. Her permission was then blocked, but Cox had already fled the state to get an abortion, according to her lawyers.
The following video was uploaded in Dec. 2023
Austin Dennard
Dallas mom and OBGYN Austin Dennard will be present at the address as a guest of U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.
Dr. Dennard had joined a lawsuit filed by several Texas women to sue the state over the medical exception in its anti-abortion law.
Just after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Dennard learned of her fetus' fetal diagnosis.
Like Cox, Dennard left the state to terminate her pregnancy, then came back to Texas to practice as an OBGYN.
"I was carrying a pregnancy I had no control over, in my own body," she told WFAA. "It felt like I was carrying a pregnancy that belonged to the state, because as long as I was on Texas soil, I couldn’t get the care that I needed, I had no voice. I had no choice."
The following video was uploaded in Feb. 2024.
Priscilla Martinez
Priscilla Martinez of Forney will attend the State of the Union as a guest of U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro.
Priscilla is the widow of 35-year-old Aaron Martinez. He was found shot to death in his pickup truck in May 2023.
Martinez's next-door neighbor was arrested on a murder charge, but the family believes he should be charged with hate crime.
In a press release about Priscilla's invitation, Rep. Castro blamed politicians and rhetoric he said had created negative opinions toward immigrants.
"As a direct result of their rhetoric, the United States is facing a once-in-a-generation anti-immigrant backlash that is dangerous for Latino families and dangerous for our country,” Rep. Castro said the release. “I’m honored to invite Priscilla Martinez to the State of the Union Address, and I hope her story will serve as a reminder of our bipartisan obligation to speak out against white supremacy, xenophobia, and all forms of hate.”
The following video was uploaded in May 2023.
Carla Gates
Carla Gates of Lancaster will attend the State of the Union as a guest of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
Carla is the widow of the late USPS mail carrier Eugene Gates, who died while delivering mail on his route in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas during the sweltering Texas summer heat.
In a press release announcing her invitation, Crockett praised Carla's advocacy for her husband and other USPS mail carriers.
"In a moment of unspeakable pain and loss, Carla stood up to call for action to protect the lives of Eugene's friends and colleagues in the U.S. Postal Service," said Crockett. "She has demonstrated incredible courage and strength, and it is past time that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle drop the politics and use their positions to improve worker protections for those like Eugene, forced to endure extreme temperatures day in and day out. While Carla is in Washington, I am asking Oversight Committee Chairman Comer to meet with us to discuss the conditions that contributed to Eugene Gates' death and respond to our call for a hearing on measures to protect the safety and welfare of federal employees at USPS."
Pranav Raju
Pranav Raju of Irving will attend the State of the Union as the guest of U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey.
Raju, 16, has type 1 diabetes and has used his diagnosis to raise awareness abut the condition and advocate for access to affordable insulin.
In a press release announcing Raju's invitation, Veasey praised the teen's advocacy.
“Diabetes impacts a countless number of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, including teenagers like Pranav,” said Veasey. “Today, I am proud to announce him as my State of the Union guest because he represents the strides we have made and the strides we must still take in our fight to make affordable lifesaving drugs like insulin accessible for all Americans of all ages. I commend Pranav’s advocacy and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to bring much-needed awareness to this condition.”
The State of the Union address will air live on all major networks and online via the White House and The Associated Press. The speech starts at 8 p.m. CST.
