Addressing his first divided Congress, Biden says 'the soul of this nation is strong'

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders plans to use the Republicans' official State of the Union rebuttal to tear into President Joe Biden and the Democrats, focusing heavily on culture war issues while highlighting where she says the economy has failed.

According to excerpts of her speech shared by her office, Sanders, the country's youngest governor and a White House press secretary under President Donald Trump, will pan Democrats as high taxers who "[light] your hard-earned money on fire." But most of the highlights previewed by her office focused on labeling the Democratic Party as a "woke" group in almost religious terms.

"You get crushed with high gas prices, empty grocery shelves and our children are taught to hate one another on account of their race, but not to love one another or our great country. ... And while you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day," she will say. "Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight."

"Every day, we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols … all while big government colludes with Big Tech to strip away the most American thing there is -- your freedom of speech."

Republicans like Trump and others are already preparing to challenge Biden ahead of his expected reelection bid, with party leaders divided over the best approach. Sanders, Trump and others have embraced social issues, while others have focused on inflation and government spending.

Often, those invited to a president's State of the Union address represent the topics he is expected to focus on during his remarks.

First lady Jill Biden's office announced Tuesday morning who will join her in her viewing box at her husband's speech later in the day.

She won't be the only one bringing guests. Here's a look at some of the notable names:

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will join Jill Biden with his guest, Holocaust survivor Ruth Cohen of Rockville, Maryland.

The Congressional Black Caucus initially invited the family of Tyre Nichols -- the Memphis, Tennessee, man who died after being attacked by police last month -- and the White House announced that Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, and stepfather, Rodney Wells, will sit in the first lady's box.

Also in the first lady's box will be Brandon Tsay of San Marino, California, who disarmed the shooter in the Monterey Park, California, shooting; former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, who was attacked by an intruder last fall; U2's Bono for his work fighting HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty; and Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S.

House Speaker McCarthy says he invited former NBA player Enes Freedom as his guest.

Freedom, an outspoken critic of China's reported abuse of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, has met with House GOP several times this year. He wrote in a tweet that he was "deeply honored and humbled to attend the State of the Union address" and appreciates McCarthy's "friendship, leadership and support."

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson and Lauren Peller

In his speech tonight, President Biden will speak about the state of American democracy as he addresses Congress and the nation.

"The story of America is a story of progress and resilience … We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again," Biden is expected to say, according to excerpts of his prepared speech released by the White House, as has become a tradition.

Biden will specifically tout his administration's response to the economic crisis, COVID-19 and attacks on democracy.

"Two years ago our economy was reeling," he's expected to say in the address. "As I stand here tonight, we have created a record 12 million new jobs -- more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years. Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much. Today, COVID no longer controls our lives."

"And two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War. Today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken."

Ahead of the president's State of the Union address, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Biden should not only tout what he's done for the American people but also draw a contrast with the GOP alternative during his later remarks.

While meeting with a small group of reporters, the Brooklyn Democrats noted that even as Biden faces headwinds in the polls, he would do well in highlighting the legislative wins their party have secured for average Americans while drawing a clear contrast between Democrats who they said are "unified with a sense of purpose" and what they called "the chaos and dysfunction and extremism" in the Republican Party.

When asked by ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott about a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll showing 41% of Americans believe they are not as well off since Biden took office, Schumer argued Democrats don't need a reset.

"You know, it's not going to be you know, a huge campaign rally speech," Schumer said, before pushing back on poll numbers. "I don't think we need a reset. Most of it hasn't been implemented a lot of it hasn't even had the regulations implemented at the executive level yet. You know, if it's a year from now, maybe that's a valid argument but I don't think it will be that way a year from now."

– ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott