South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) will deliver the GOP response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address next week.
"I was honored to be asked by Speaker Ryan and Senator McConnell to deliver the Republican address to the nation,” Haley said in a press release. “This is a time of great challenges for our country, but also of great opportunities. I intend to speak about both.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Haley is the "exact right choice" to give the GOP's response, which will take place immediately after Obama's address.
White House officials have said the speech -- which will be the president's last State of the Union address -- will be "non-traditional."
Haley made headlines in 2015 amid a debate over whether the Confederate flag should be flown outside of South Carolina's statehouse. Many called for the flag to be removed after nine black people were murdered at a historic church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Obama unveiled several gun control measures this week and will participate in a town hall on guns Thursday. The issue is likely to come up in his speech, which will take place at 9 p.m. EST on Jan. 12.
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