Joni Ernst to deliver the GOP’s State of the Union response

◼ arely a week into her congressional tenure, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has been tapped to deliver the GOP's rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union address next week. - Paul Kane/Washington Post

Her selection continues the Republican trend of looking to spotlight a younger minority or female official in its response to Obama. Ernst becomes the fourth woman or minority lawmaker to deliver the response -- following Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) in 2009, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in 2013 and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) in 2014 -- in the seven nationally televised SOTU addresses Obama will have delivered as of next Tuesday.

◼ Rethinking the big speech that isn't so big anymore - AP Downplays.