By Devin Dubon

Since 1966 there’s been a tradition that a representative of the minority party issues a response to the president’s State of the Union speech. This year, that honor was bestowed to Representative Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts.

Kennedy has been a rising star in the Democratic party, coasting into his congressional seat in 2012 and winning reelection twice, once with almost 98% of the vote. He rose to national attention after his widely lauded speeches criticizing the Republican plan to repeal Obamacare and Trump’s response to the rally in Charlottesville.

Some viewed the choice to have Kennedy issue the response as an attempt for the Democratic Party  to appeal to the youth, which they have been criticized for not doing in the past.

In his response, Kennedy worked to unite the American people after all of the fracturing events we’ve recently suffered.

“We hear the voices of Americans who are forgotten and forsaken. Corporate profits climb but fail to give their workers their fair share. A government that struggles to keep itself open. Russia, knee deep in our democracy. An all-out war on environmental protection. A justice department rolling back civil rights by the day. Hatred and supremacy proudly marching in our streets. Bullets tearing through our classrooms, concerts and congregations, targeting our safest and sacred places. This nagging and sinking feeling, no matter your political beliefs, this is not right, this is not who we are.”

The tone of his speech was dramatically different to that of the president’s only a few minutes prior. While Trump focused on the differences dividing America, Kennedy emphasized the similarities that bind us together.

He also went against some typically democratic expectations. Not only did he appeal to those that would be expected—the youth, African-Americans, and Dreamers (to which he gave a heartfelt message in Spanish)—but he also called out to the workers, single mother, and coal miners, those that are typically right leaning, that may be disillusioned by the current administration and gave them an alternative.

“We are bombarded with one false choice after another. Coal miners or single moms, rural communities or inner cities. The coast or the heartland. … Here is an answer that Democrats offer tonight. We choose both.”

Again going against tradition, he did not outright attack the president, the few criticisms he included were mostly alluded to and implied.

“Bullies may land a punch. They might leave a mark. But they have never, not once, in the history of our United States, managed to match the strength and spirit of a people united in defense of their future.”

Many view Kennedy’s speech as the start of a new age in the Democratic Party, one where they learned from the mistakes they made in the Clinton campaign and try to appeal to a broader audience with a new, young face.