Two Democratic lawmakers react to President Trump’s State of the Union address

WASHINGTON (KYMA) - Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) are sharing their reaction to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address.

President Trump delivered the address to Congress Tuesday night to highlight his first year of his second term in office.

At the same time, several Democratic lawmakers boycotted the address by holding a rally on the National Mall.

Sen. Kelly, who announced Tuesday he would be attending the address as well as bringing former Navy Commander Martin Sepulveda as a guest, released the following statement:

"Tonight, Arizonans didn't hear a real plan to lower costs or make their lives better. Instead, they heard more excuses from a president who promised to lower prices on 'day one' but has only made Americans poorer and less safe. 

One year into his presidency, families are paying more at the grocery store. Seniors are struggling to afford their prescription drugs. Small business owners are having trouble keeping their doors open, and President Trump’s illegal tariffs are making it worse. 

While costs go up for working families, his biggest accomplishment last year was handing a giant tax cut to rich people and big corporations, paid for by kicking people off Medicaid, cutting food assistance, and driving up health care costs. 

Donald Trump mentioned a few things I agreed with, like banning stock trading in Congress and stopping hedge funds from buying single-family homes. America would be better off if he focused on working with us to get those done, instead of giving tax breaks to billionaires and enriching himself and his family."

In addition, Rep. Ruiz also released the following statement regarding Trump's State of the Union address:

"Like his entire Presidency, Trump's speech tonight will be remembered for his lies, self-promotion, and total disregard for working families. He lied to us about inflation, while his tariffs have increased costs for all of us. He lied to us about health care, while his policies took away health coverage from millions of Americans.  He lied to us about protecting retirees, while he is doing everything he can to dismantle Social Security and Medicare. He lied about only deporting violent criminal immigrants, he is violently targeting mostly non-criminal immigrants and U.S. citizens.

Trump is the most unpopular President in history because Americans faced with skyrocketing costs and a slowing economy know he is responsible.

Trump wants desperately a Nobel Prize, with all his lies, he should try to get one for fiction."