Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, will be among several Democratic members of Congress who will boycott President Trump's first State of the Union address.
"I will not be attending the State of the Union. I don't want to pretend in anyway that I support this president. I don't want to be two faced. I'd like to, if he started acting presidential. I'd be happy to go again, but I'm not going to do that until he starts acting presidential, respecting women, respecting people of color and immigrants," Vargas said in an interview with KPBS Midday Edition.
Last year, Vargas skipped Trump's inauguration.
Meanwhile, Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, announced he will attending Tuesday's State of the Union and taking a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipient as his guest.
Trump is expected to make a sales pitch during his speech for an immigration plan he released last week, but it is already getting harsh feedback from members of both parties.
In a statement, Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, said she will be taking, Jenna Ben-Yehuda, a #MeToo advocate, as her guest to the State of the Union.
“I want to thank Jenna for her efforts to highlight the stories of women who work in national security,” Davis said. “I’m honored to have her as my guest for the State of the Union. Because of women like Jenna and all other women who refuse to be silent, we are seeing positive change. This is just the beginning.”
Davis also plans to wear black to the State of the Union to show solidarity with victims of sexual harassment.
Vargas, who represents California's 51st District, including the entire California-Mexico border, spoke with Midday Edition about immigration reform and what he hopes to hear in the 2018 State of the Union.
