Watch Sen. Katie Britt's State of the Union response

In her 17-minute response to President Biden's State of the Union address, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, the youngest Republican ever elected to the U.S. Senate, mocked Biden's age and his policies in an emotional appeal to voters.

"Biden proudly proclaims that ‘Bidenomics is working,'" Britt said in tones that alternated from breathless to almost tearful. "Goodness, y'all. Bless his heart. We know better.”

Recounting what she said were stories she had heard from ordinary Americans struggling to get by, Britt portrayed Biden as out of touch.

"Let's be honest," Britt said. "It's been a minute since Joe Biden pumped gas, ran a carpool or even pushed a grocery cart."

Britt, a 42-year-old former congressional staffer and mother of two, was elected to the Senate in 2022 with former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. She promised to come to Washington as a “momma on a mission” and has carved out a unique role in the GOP conference as an adviser to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and an experienced former aide on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Her delivery of the speech will likely be remembered as much as its contents, but there was one notable thing that was not mentioned once: Donald Trump.

Reaction swiftly followed Britt's speech.

Former Trump White House aide and co-host of "The View" Alyssa Farah Griffin called the decision to stage Britt's speech in the kitchen "bizarre."

“Women can be both wives and mothers and also stateswomen,” Griffin said. “So to put her in a kitchen, not in front of a podium or in the Senate chamber where she was elected where she won a very hard fought race, I felt fell very flat and was confusing to some women watching it.”

Many also weighed in on Britt's dramatic delivery, including some professional actors.

Finally, some Republicans came out in support of Britt's speech amid the backlash.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.