– The Washington Times
President Trump and other Republicans are blasting Democrats for trying to appeal to voters on affordability while those same Democrats are promoting higher taxes and greater government spending that raise the cost of living.
Exhibit A is Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who criticized Mr. Trump on Tuesday night in the Democratic response to his State of the Union address. She said the president’s policies have made life more costly for Americans and that he was lying about his accomplishments during his first year in office.
“Since this president took office last year, his reckless trade policies have forced American families to pay more than $1,700 each in tariff costs,” Ms. Spanberger said.
“But here in Virginia, I am working with our state legislature to lower costs and make the commonwealth more affordable. And it’s not just me,” she said. “Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability in our nation’s capital and in state capitals and communities across America.”
Republican strategist John Feehery said on social media that Virginia Democrats are pushing to raise the state income tax to 13.5%.
“That will make the state unaffordable,” he said on X.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, said on social media, “Abigail Spanberger is the last person who should be talking about affordability.
“Did she forget that her fellow Democrats in Virginia just introduced a laundry list of new tax hikes, including a dry cleaning tax, a home repair tax, a dog walking tax, and a gun tax?” Ms. Blackburn said.
Ms. Spanberger was scheduled to be the featured speaker Wednesday night at House Democrats’ annual policy retreat in Leesburg, Virginia, where she was expected to give advice about winning elections on a message of affordability.
During Mr. Trump’s address, he confronted congressional Democrats to their faces with withering criticism, blaming them for spending-induced inflation that reached 9.1% under President Biden.
“Record-setting inflation cost the typical family $34,000 in just a speck of time,” Mr. Trump said. “Now the same people in this chamber who voted for those disasters suddenly used the word ‘affordability’ … knowing full well that they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure.”
The president chided Democrats: “You caused that problem. They knew their statements [blaming Republicans] were a dirty, rotten lie. Their policies created the high prices. Our policies are rapidly ending them.”
Inflation has fallen to about 2.4% under Mr. Trump.
Ms. Spanberger said Mr. Trump and congressional Republicans are making “life harder.”
“They’re making your life more expensive. They’re even making it more difficult to see a doctor. Rural health clinics in Virginia and across the country are already closing their doors thanks to the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill [Act] championed by the president and Republicans in Congress,” she said.
Republicans responded by saying Ms. Spanberger is no expert on affordability, given that her own tax-and-spend, big-regulation policies are being questioned just weeks into her tenure as governor.
Democrats, who control both chambers of the General Assembly in Richmond, are pushing to raise tax rates across income brackets, which Republicans say will make Virginia unaffordable.
The proposals would establish new tax brackets and raise the top income tax rate from 5.75% to 10% for individuals earning more than $1 million annually. Those earning more than $600,000 would pay 8%.
Other bills would impose a 3.8% tax on net investment income and expand the retail sales and use tax to services such as gym memberships, nail care, tattoos, dry cleaning, landscaping, and dog grooming and walking. Firearms and ammunition manufacturers face an 11% excise tax.
Virginia Democrats also have proposed a bill to create a sales tax on Amazon, FedEx and Uber Eats deliveries, a tax of up to 10% on admissions to events and certain businesses, and a $500 tax on firearm suppressors.
Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, Virginia Republican, said in a statement that Ms. Spanberger “lied to the American people — just as she has lied to Virginians.”
“Make no mistake: when Spanberger talks about ‘affordability,’ her first month in office was spent paving the way for higher taxes and taking more money out of your pocket,” Ms. Kiggans said. “Virginians are already staring down some of the largest tax increases in a generation under her leadership, and she was only sworn into office in January.”
The Washington Times has reached out to Ms. Spanberger’s office.
Republicans also went after Democratic-sponsored legislation in Virginia that would allow local governments to install speed cameras and prohibit gas-powered leaf blowers.
Ms. Spanberger announced to the General Assembly that she would renew green energy policies, including an initiative to return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which critics say will increase energy prices for Virginians.
Her predecessor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, removed Virginia from the green energy program in 2024, which he said saved state ratepayers $937 million. Republicans say inclusion in the program will cost Virginia households more than $1,000 a year in higher utility bills.
“Withdrawing from RGGI did not lower energy costs,” Ms. Spanberger said. “In fact, the opposite happened. It just took money out of Virginia’s pocket. It is time to fix that mistake.”
Republicans also went after Ms. Spanberger for ending the state’s 287(g) programs, which allowed for local and state law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
In her remarks, Ms. Spanberger criticized Mr. Trump’s deportation efforts of illegal immigrants.
The White House hit back on X by telling Ms. Spanberger to “spare us the sanctimonious bulls—-.”
“FACT: Weeks after becoming Governor, she swiftly terminated Virginia’s agreement with ICE, halting state law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — giving criminal illegal alien killers, rapists, and gangbangers a pass,” the White House said.
The Republican Governors Association said Ms. Spanberger “has driven out major businesses from the state.”
“While Spanberger tries to tout the Democrats’ ‘affordability plan,’ let her record serve as a reminder to every American family that the most expensive states in the country are led by Democrats,” said Kollin Crompton, deputy communications director for the Republican Governors Association. “Life is harder now under Spanberger than it was under Republican leadership in Virginia, and it should serve as a warning sign to every voter in the midterms.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
