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Republicans Kick Off State of the Union Night With Roundtable Showcasing Conservative Governance Wins

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  February 24, 2026 12:00 PM

It’s that time again, folks. The president will come to Congress to deliver the State of the Union address. And yes, there will be drama as weak sauce Democrats are boycotting the address, because they’re babies, their policies suck, and they’re all more Trump-deranged than most members of Antifa. Still, Trump plans to deliver what could be the longest State of the Union address in history, so buckle up.  

Ahead of championship sports games, the Republican Study Committee organized a roundtable discussion and Q&A session to highlight how conservative governance is achieving victories across the country. The event was hosted by Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO), who leads the messaging initiative. The gathering included key supporters of the Trump coalition, such as farmers, ranchers, and small business owners—Americans directly impacted by Washington's policies, including guest Ben Menges, a fifth-generation rancher from Arizona. 

Yet economic policy is only as good as public safety conditions, and law enforcement officials were present at this event as well. The homicide rate dipped dramatically under the Trump presidency, by at least 20 percent from last year. It’s amazing how we push some old, brain-dead guy out of the White House, and everyone starts behaving. Clermont County Sheriff Chris Stratton and Command Sergeant Major (ret.) John Herring were among the faces representing that part of the discussion.  

Nick Shirley, the YouTuber who gained an even greater following exposing Somali-led fraud in Minnesota, was there, along with David Hoch, another Minnesota-based watchdog who helped Shirley in his investigations and has been tracking such fraud allegations for years.  

You can watch the full roundtable here: