The guests at Joe Biden's second State of the Union address trends now
Every year lawmakers are able to bring guests to the president's annual State of the Union address, which many times is used as a political statement whether they support or oppose the current commander-in-chief and his policies.
This year several guests will serve the same purpose, which includes stances on policing and crime, abortion, foreign policy and a slew of other policy and social hot topics.
Other lawmakers are opting to bring guests to honor them for contributions to their districts or states.
Perhaps the most obvious stand-off between Republican and Democrats when it comes to guests, however, is the focus on pro and anti-law enforcement figures and citizens.
Many Democrats are bringing victims of police brutality or wrongful imprisonment, while Republicans invited hero cops and law enforcement officials to both honor their service and rebuff Biden's soft-on-crime policies.
DailyMail.com breaks down some of the most memorable guests coming to Biden's second State of the Union on Tuesday evening and the lawmakers who invited them.
All-eyes are turning to Washington, D.C. as President Joe Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. Pictured: Biden delivering his first annual address for a joint session of Congress in March 2022
Right off-the-bat, Republicans are showing their focus on pro-law enforcement and anti-soft-on-crime policies. GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik invited Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffrey Smith as her guest
Republicans
GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, is bringing Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffrey T. Smith.
The New York lawmakers said that inviting Smith reflects her recognition of law enforcement's plight 'fighting against the crises caused by Joe Biden's failed policies' with rising crime.
California Representative Mike Thompson wants to honor those helping with wildfires in his state, so he invited After the Fire USA CEO Jennifer Gray Thompson to attend this year's annual address delivered to a joint session of Congress.
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas wants to highlight Biden's botched troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, so he is bringing former Afghanistan Ambassador to the United States Roya Rahmani.
Iowa Representative Ashley Hinson wants the focus turned to mental health care for veterans, and invited retired Army Sergeant Trent Dirks, who was able to overcome drug addiction and better handle his severe PTSD with a service dog.
'I am honored to attend the State of the Union Address and to help raise awareness about the importance of improving veterans' mental health care access,' Dirks said, noting that his dog 'Tracer saved my life and is a big part of my happiness today.'
Florida Representative Greg Steube opted for a non-political approach, instead inviting the man who called 9-1-1 when he fell off a ladder last month.
The 44-year-old congressman was cutting limbs off a tree when he fell 25-feet and sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, including a fractured pelvis, punctured lung and several torn ligaments around his neck.
A delivery driver, Darrell Woodie, witnessed the fall and immediately called for help. He will join Representative Steube for the State of the Union on Tuesday evening.
Representative Greg Steube is bringing the delivery driver Darrell Woodie who called 9-1-1 when he witnessed the congressman fall 25-feet off a ladder when cutting tree limbs last month
Steube, 44, sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, including a fractured pelvis, punctured lung and several torn ligaments around his neck
Republican fantasist George Santos appears to be trolling those critical of his frequent lies, which only came to light after he was elected to the House for New York's 3rd congressional district in the 2022 midterms.
The congressman is bringing former Assistant DA Michael Weinstock of Brooklyn's Special Victims Bureau, who was a volunteer firefighter and EMT who was among those on the ground responding to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Among several other lies regarding his career resume, education and ethnic background, Santos also stands accused of falsely claiming that his mother died due to the 9/11 attacks.
Santos' campaign website claimed his mother, Fatima Devolder, 'was in her office in the South Tower on September 11' and survived the attacks before dying of cancer a few years later.
This, however, contradicts a 2003 visa application obtained by The Washington Post that indicates she had not been in the U.S. since 1999.
Weinstock said he accepted Santos' invitation to the State of the Union because he wants to raise awareness for the healthcare needs of 9/11 emergency workers as he suffers from a neurological condition related to his time at ground zero.
South Dakota Representative Dusty Johnsons is bringing two local sheriffs on Tuesday – Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller and Moody County Sheriff Troy Wellman - to bring attention to rising violent crime and drug
