U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, has been named a designated survivor for Tuesday night’s joint address to Congress by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.
Thompson is a Democrat whose district includes Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties and has served in Congress since 1999.
Thompson said he was selected by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, to serve as the Democrats’ designated survivor for the House of Representatives. The designation means that Thompson will watch Trump’s joint address from an undisclosed secure location away from the U.S. Capitol campus.
Most of the individuals in the line of succession of the presidency will attend the address, including the vice president, speaker of the house and cabinet members. Designated survivors are essential to maintaining the presidential line of succession and congressional operations in the case of a mass casualty event during a gathering of top leaders of the nation. Designated survivors are also chosen for presidential inaugurations.
The president’s designee has yet to be announced for Tuesday’s joint address. Each party selects designated survivors to represent the Senate and the House.