Republicans are tapping Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to deliver the Republican response to Biden’s State of the Union address, seizing an opportunity to feature a rising female leader in the party.

Reynolds’ staunch conservative approach on "culture war" issues, such as prohibiting "critical race theory" in schools, and opposition to strict mandates and statewide lockdowns during the pandemic make her an appropriate fit for the message Republicans want to send.

In a preview of tonight’s speech, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Republicans plan to offer an "optimistic alternative method to Joe Biden" as it relates to his foreign policy, rising gas prices and inflation, the border, crime, and the Biden administration’s pandemic response.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

President Joe Biden told reporters he plans to talk during his address about his "determination to see to it" that Western allies are "on the exact same page" over sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

"Because that’s the one thing that gives us power to impose severe consequences on Putin for what he’s done and one of the few things that I’m confident he’s going to have think twice about, long term, as this continues to bite," Biden said during a lunch with network TV anchors Tuesday.

"It’s the unity of NATO and the West," he added.

-ABC "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, will not attend the State of the Union in person, ABC News has confirmed.

The president is expected to acknowledge the historic nomination in the speech, sources said. If confirmed, Jackson would be the first African American woman on the high court.

-ABC News' Devin Dwyer and Molly Nagle

Just hours away from Biden delivering his first State of the Union speech, Democrats are sparring with each other over the response.

Not the Republican response -- but the growing number of Democrats giving speeches responding to a president of their own party.

Progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan is delivering a response for the Working Families Party. She says she will support Biden’s agenda but could take moderates to task for blocking the agenda in the Senate, likely targeting West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin.

Rep. Colin Allred of Texas is delivering a response from the Congressional Black Caucus.

And moderate Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., who is expected to criticize progressives (he told Axios Tlaib’s speech is the political equivalent of "slashing your own tires"), will give a bipartisan response with the centrist group No Labels.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel

Biden will discuss his plan to fight inflation, which he says will aim to lower both costs and the deficit, according to an excerpt of his State of the Union address released by the White House.

"We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation," he said in the prepared remarks.

"Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And, instead of relying on foreign supply chains -- let’s make it in America," the speech continues.

"Economists call it 'increasing the productive capacity of our economy,'" the president said in the prepared remarks. "I call it building a better America."