Abigail Spanberger to address House Democrats at policy retreat

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will headline House Democrats’ annual policy retreat Wednesday, addressing her former colleagues just a day after delivering her party’s televised response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Spanberger is expected to discuss her successful statewide campaign and what lessons House Democrats can take into the midterms from the party’s triumphs in Virginia last year, according to a Dear Colleague letter from Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar.

Democratic members will also hear from historians Ron Chernow and Heather Cox Richardson in a Thursday night session reflecting on America’s 250th birthday, moderated by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

The retreat will center on affordability in housing, utilities, groceries and other areas, according to a schedule shared with Blue Light News. Labor leaders are set to speak at a number of sessions, including Brent Booker of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Lee Saunders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Leslie Frane of the Service Employees International Union.

Aguilar said in the letter that members “will spend the coming days discussing how we are ‘Fighting for an Affordable America’ and building our affirmative affordability agenda, which will guide our caucus as we work to take back the majority.”

Punchbowl News first reported on the event’s agenda.

Other speakers include members of former President Joe Biden’s administration, including former OMB Director Shalanda Young, former CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and former deputy secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small.

DCCC chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) will address Democrats Thursday night on taking back the House, with remarks from Lakshya Jain, co-founder and CEO of Split Ticket, and Stephanie Valencia, president and co-founder of Equis Research. Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, will speak at a Friday morning session focused on fixing health care.