Alabama’s lone Democratic congresswoman is defending her criticism of President Joe Biden after media reports said he plans to keep Space Command headquarters in Colorado not Huntsville.

Some constituents accused Rep. Terri Sewell of forging alliances with political enemies of her district by releasing a strongly worded statement about the President’s reported decision. She joined her Republican colleagues in condemning the decision.

“This reversal is as shameful as it is disappointing,” she wrote on Monday. “I expected more from the Biden Administration. A decision of this magnitude should not be about red states versus blue states, but rather what is in the best interest of our national security.”

But by Wednesday, Sewell’s statement received blowback as constituents unleashed their ire and questioned her position on the morning talk show airwaves.

“All these Ivy League folks ought to be smarter than that,” said Gary Richardson, host of the “Gary Richardson Morning Show” on radio station WJLD in Birmingham. “She’s joining with these people who have been nothing but anti-us all along. I don’t get it.”

Sewell dialed into the show on Wednesday morning to respond and then held a press conference shortly after to further defend her stance.

“I’m not saying I am in solidarity with the Republicans,” Sewell said on the radio show. “I am saying that Huntsville won the competition fair and square, and they did so over a four-year process. Having said that, it does mean that we lost economic opportunities that were slated to bring billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to our state.”

Sewell said she stood by her disappointment in Biden’s move but pointed a sharp finger back at Republican leaders in Alabama, saying they created a toxic climate that caused the state to lose the major federal investment.

“Excuse me for expecting more out of the person that I support,” she said of Biden. “I support his policies and I support him.”

Critics, including Richardson, noted that while Sewell showed support with Republican colleagues, Alabama Republicans are solidly against Democratic initiatives. Sewell was the only member of the delegation to vote for the American Rescue Plan Act, the pandemic initiative that brought billions to the state and local governments. She is most often the only member of the delegation to vote in favor of White House initiatives.

“When has ‘Alabackwards’ ever supported a Democratic elected president?” Richardson said. “Then when a Democrat does not cave into your command, you get ticked off. I am disappointed that Terri Sewell would take such a position.”

Critical comments from Richardson, callers, and social media posters prompted Sewell to call into the morning show to clarify her position.

Sewell elaborated on her position during her press conference.

“My objection by no means diminishes my support for President Biden,” she said. “I voted for him last time and I fully intend to vote for him in the next election.”

Rather, Sewell said Alabama is the victim of politics illustrated in part by Tuberville’s “reckless hold” on military assignments.

“This is not about red states or blue states, this is truly about what’s in our national interest,” she said. “The people of Alabama should not be punished for the recklessness of our elected individuals.”

Sewell on both occasions today was especially critical of Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who has garnered national headlines for his criticism of Biden and his ongoing hold on Pentagon military promotions.

Tuberville in a statement on Monday went further than Sewell in his direct attack on Biden.

“The Biden administration has been talking a lot about readiness over the past few months, but no administration has done more to damage our military readiness in my lifetime. They’ve politicized our military, destroyed our recruiting, misused our tax dollars for their extremist social agenda, and now they are putting Space Command headquarters in a location that didn’t even make the top three.”

Sewell made it clear Wednesday that she does not stand with Tuberville.

“We in Alabama voted for a reckless senator who has done nothing but embarrass us. That clearly has played a part,” Sewell said. “While I don’t think the people of Alabama should be punished for Sen. Tuberville’s recklessness, we are responsible for electing him and his actions do have negative consequences.”

She said Tuberville’s statement and actions along with others illustrate Alabama’s “war” on women’s reproductive rights and voting rights, putting the state at odds with national policy and damaging its reputation.

“I can be supportive of Huntsville and the state of Alabama and at the same time be critical of Republican extremism, which I am, ” Sewell said this morning. “It’s not about supporting my Republican colleagues. It’s about supporting Alabama and what’s right for the state of Alabama and the economic viability of our state.