Dwight Evans

As Pennsylvanian Republican lawmakers look forward to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday, there are a few Democratic legislators making other plans.

GOP U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick is taking Jason Zugai, the former president and current vice president of the Pittsburgh-area United Steelworkers Local 2227, as his guest to the State of the Union.

McCormick described Zugai as a “third-generation steelworker who embodies the heart of the Mon Valley and the proud tradition of American steel.”

Zugai’s appearance would “highlight the incredible work of steel workers and showcase how President Trump’s administration has championed strengthening American manufacturing,” said McCormick, pointing to the U.S. Steel-Nippon agreement to shore up domestic steel production.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has not publicly announced a guest, but he has warned fellow Democrats about making outbursts during Trump’s address.

“I mean, there’s just no dignity if you have paddles, if you are yelling and saying those kinds of things,” Fetterman said while appearing yet again on Fox News. “I mean, you can agree or disagree on things, but if you’re going to show up, just do it with dignity because, you know, really need to respect the office.”

York County Republican Rep. Scott Perry is taking Harrisburg truck company owner-operator Edel Santana to Trump’s address to highlight the tax cuts for small businesses in the One, Big, Beautiful bill.

Governor candidate state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican, will be the guest of GOP Rep. G.T. Thompson.

The offices of Republican Reps. John Joyce, Lloyd Smucker and Dan Meuser did not respond to emails asking if they are taking guests.

Some Pennsylvania Democrats, though, are skipping the State of the Union.

Rep. Summer Lee, who represents Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, is boycotting the address to attend the People’s State of the Union event hosted by MoveOn and other progressive groups.

Lee will also give the Working Families Party’s response to Trump’s remarks after the State of the Union. Working Families is also actively recruiting a primary challenger to Fetterman for 2028, saying that he has rejected the progressive values he ran on in 2022.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Delaware County Democrat, is also slated to attend the MoveOn event instead of Trump’s address.

“I’ve always attended the State of the Union out of respect for the Office of the President, but this President has not returned that respect to Congress or the American people,” she wrote in an X post.

“So instead, I’ll be joining colleagues and Americans at the People’s State of the Union to examine how this administration’s attacks on access to healthcare and civil liberties are impacting all Americans,” said Scanlon.

Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans also wrote on X that he would not attend the State of the Union.

“From terrorizing our communities with lawless immigration raids to taxing American families with his reckless tariffs, President Trump has continued to act unlawfully and legally questionably,” he wrote. “One year later, he still hasn’t earned the honor of my presence to listen to his speech in person tonight.”

Pittsburgh-area Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, a vocal Trump critic, is going to the address with guest Jonathan Akanowicz, a constituent and an independent pharmacist.

Deluzio said Akanowicz’s appearance will highlight the “ongoing fight to break the power of (pharmacy benefit managers) with a simple goal: bring down prescription costs and give independent pharmacies a fair shot to compete.”