Biden's State of the Union speech: Here's what was in it for Arizona

President Joe Biden took direct aim at Republicans in his State of the Union address: an annual opportunity for the president to trumpet his accomplishments and spell out his agenda before Congress.

In the speech, his last address before the Nov. 5 presidential election, the president pilloried his likely Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, and the GOP on key campaign themes like protecting American democracy, immigration, and abortion.

The president touched on several policy themes directly affecting Arizona, at a time when surveys suggest many Americans aren’t aware of some of his flagship accomplishments, such as landmark legislation on climate change and a semiconductor manufacturing law that will send waves through the Phoenix metro area.

"Tonight, Arizonans will see the stark contrast between President Biden’s record of delivering for our state, creating thousands of good paying jobs and lowering costs for Arizonans, while Donald Trump is focused on division and personal gain,” Sean McEnerney, Biden’s campaign manager in Arizona, wrote in a statement. “Trump ripped away the freedom to choose by overturning Roe — now he wants to go even further."

“Arizonans chose President Biden's vision of freedom, democracy, and a fair shot for everyone once — and they'll do it again in November.”

Trump threw cold water on those claims in remarks delivered before Biden's speech.

"Joe Biden is on the run from his record and lying like crazy to try to escape accountability for the horrific devastation he and his party have created — all the while they continue the very policies that are causing this horror show to go. We cannot take it any longer as a country," Trump said, arguing Biden has not done enough to curb illegal immigration and inflation.

After the speech, Trump added on social media: "Whether the Fake News Media likes admitting it or not, there was tremendous misrepresentation and lies in that Speech, but the People of our Country get it, and they know that November 5th will be the Most Important Day in our Nation’s History!"

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Biden's top economist touts progress in Arizona

Biden promoted among his accomplishments the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a law geared toward promoting semiconductors, a key technology present in most electronics also known as “chips.”

Arizona is on track to be a major beneficiary of the law, as Phoenix has become one of the nation’s hubs for chip manufacturers, enjoying in recent months some of the largest investments in Arizona history.

But the rollout of that law has seen hiccups. The semiconductor company TSMC has announced several delays in its efforts to build two massive factories in Arizona: In January, they cited issues with securing government funding.

In an interview Thursday with The Arizona Republic ahead of Biden’s State of the Union address, top White House economist Heather Boushey said the investments in Arizona are “super important” for his wider economic goals.

"One of the things about the Phoenix area is just how many different manufacturers and private entities are making similar investments,” Boushey said. “They see this as a good place to invest. That kind of economic vitality feeds on itself.”

Biden on immigration: 'Send me the border bill now'

Biden’s Thursday night speech also touched on immigration, a top issue in the border state of Arizona and a political lightning rod on Capitol Hill in recent weeks.

Biden slammed Republicans for rejecting the recent border security proposal developed in the Senate, which Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., played a lead role in negotiating. After months of bipartisan talks, that deal fell apart when Trump, Biden's top 2024 rival, came out against the bill.

It ultimately failed to advance in the Senate, with some Republicans turning against the proposal they had been working to pass just days before.

“We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it. I'm ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now,” Biden said.

Meanwhile, Biden’s critics on the right blamed him for what they describe as a worsening crisis at the border. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., highlighted the issue in a social media post ahead of the State of the Union, arguing the president has “refused to enforce” portions of U.S. immigration law.

Who did Arizona representatives bring to the State of the Union?

Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community attended the address as a guest in the president's box. The White House said his partnership with the Biden administration "revolutionized how Tribal governmental infrastructure is constructed, which led to the completion of the first new schools on the Reservation in over 100 years and the first solar-over-canal project in the Western Hemisphere."

Per tradition, several members of Arizona’s congressional delegation also invited guests to the speech.

Sinema invited Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, a group that supported the border security bill she helped craft. Sinema announced this week that she would not seek re-election.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., attended with his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz.

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., was to bring Steven R. Gonzales, the chancellor of Maricopa Community Colleges, which is involved in workforce development for the semiconductor and bioscience industries. Stanton secured a $1.8 million federal investment last year to help the school system build out its STEM curriculum, according to a news release.

“Thanks to targeted federal investments, Arizona’s economy is booming — and Maricopa Community Colleges is rising to meet the moment. Dr. Gonzalez and the dedicated MCCCD faculty and staff are working to prepare Arizona students to fill high-paying jobs in these industries of the future,” Stanton said in a written statement.

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Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who is running to replace Sinema in the Senate, was bringing John and Cheston Bailon, two brothers and members of the Navajo Nation who Gallego served with in Iraq.

“When I met John and Cheston in the Marine Corps, I was immediately struck by their warrior spirits,” Gallego said in a written statement. “They embody what it means to live the American Dream — to put your country first — and to never back down from a fight. I’ve come to closely know their families, their Navajo heritage, and what it means to be a Native veteran. They’re like brothers to me.”

For their part, the brothers said of Gallego: "We knew Ruben before he was Congressman Gallego — back when he was a Marine from Harvard. Over the years, we’ve come to know his family and have seen him rise from the hard-charging Marine to a member of Congress. At the same time, he’s never forgotten where he came from. He’s always put the voices of everyday Americans first, and we’re proud of his work for veterans and Tribal communities."

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., invited Jane Strain, a veteran from Sierra Vista, his office said.

Laura Gersony covers national politics for the Arizona Republic. Contact her at [email protected] or 480-372-0389.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: State of the Union speech: What will Joe Biden say about Arizona?