President Joe Biden made a call for unity in his first State of the Union address Wednesday night, urging Republicans and Democrats to work together for the betterment of the nation.

The speech was met with a positive response from the family of Jalen Randle, a Houston native who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2020. In his address, Biden mentioned Randle, saying that his death should not be in vain and that it should serve as a reminder of the need for gun control legislation.

The address was praised by many, including POLITICO, which said in an opinion piece that Biden’s speech was effective in its call for unity and its recognition of the need for policy change.

The speech was met with a less enthusiastic response from Republicans, who took issue with Biden’s call for gun control and his criticism of their policies. USA Today reported that the speech had a “darker” tone, with Biden taking an aggressive stance against Republican legislators.

CNN also reported on the speech, noting that Biden had taken a more confrontational tone with Republicans, and that his message of unity had been overshadowed by his criticism of the GOP.

Overall, the speech was met with mixed reactions, but President Biden’s call for unity was a major theme of the night.