Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the firebrand chair of the House Progressive Caucus, dropped a telling endorsement on CNN’s News Central Tuesday, predicting that Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) will carry the progressive torch in the Democratic State of the Union response. Jayapal gushed about progressives in this country that have been pushing affordability for a very long time as the main economic message, positioning Spanberger as their polished messenger. But let’s peel back the layers: Spanberger, a former CIA officer turned blue-dog Democrat, isn’t your stereotypical coastal progressive. She’s from a purple Virginia district and has a track record of bucking the squad on issues like energy and Israel. Jayapal’s nod here smells like a strategic pivot—Democrats desperate to rebrand after electoral drubbings, swapping defund the police vibes for affordability platitudes to lure back working-class voters.

For the 2A community, this is a red flag wrapped in a olive branch. Spanberger’s moderate facade crumbles under scrutiny: she’s co-sponsored assault weapons bans, pushed red-flag laws, and voted for Biden’s ATF nominee who wants to classify pistol braces as NFA items—moves that would kneecap millions of law-abiding gun owners. Jayapal anointing her as the progressive voice signals the party’s playbook for 2024 and beyond: use affable centrists to soft-sell the same gun-grab agenda. Remember, Spanberger was the one who leaked that infamous post-2020 election call where Democrats were told to ditch socialism and talk healthcare and jobs—yet her voting record screams control, not compromise. Progressives like Jayapal aren’t moderating; they’re retooling their attack on the Second Amendment under economic camouflage, betting voters won’t notice the fine print on universal background checks and assault weapon registries.

The implications? 2A advocates should ramp up vigilance. With Spanberger potentially headlining the SOTU rebuttal, expect a barrage of feel-good rhetoric masking hardcore disarmament pushes. This is catnip for RINOs and squishy Republicans to play nice, fracturing the pro-gun coalition. Gun owners, don’t get lulled—Spanberger’s affordability pitch is code for funding more ATF bureaucrats and bloating federal registries. Hit the midterms hard, support true 2A warriors like MTG or Massie, and keep the pressure on. The progressive wolf is still at the door, just wearing Spanberger’s sheepskin.