By: Alexander Pyles

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s State of the State Address Wednesday has already been lauded by loyal Democrats and criticized by outraged Republicans.

But O’Malley, in his seventh year as governor and addressing a joint session of the General Assembly for the next-to-last time, knows how to bring both parties to their feet.

“There is more that unites us than divides us,” O’Malley said. “And this year, one of those things is the mighty, mighty Baltimore Ravens.”

Just 10 seconds into his speech, O’Malley — wearing a purple tie — forced most Republicans and Democrats to leap from their seats and roar in approval of the Ravens’ Super Bowl run.

But in an address that focused on his administration’s accomplishments and advocated for several high-profile initiatives this year, it was the last bit of Republican approval the governor received.