Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) had a chance to face his constituents and defend President Trump’s policies — but instead, he got cold feet and backed out.
The Iowa Republican was slated to host a town hall in Greene County to defend President Trump’s controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping piece of legislation that’s drawn heat across the political spectrum. But instead of facing voters head-on, Nunn pulled the plug on the public event and quietly shifted to a closed-door meeting on Friday afternoon.
The last-minute pivot didn’t sit well with voters or his critics.
“That clucking sound you hear?” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Katie Smith. “That’s Zach Nunn, who’s such a chicken he won’t face his constituents. Nunn is terrified to face Iowa voters because he knows he can’t defend his toxic agenda of raising prices, ripping away health care, and giving tax cuts to billionaires.”
And that’s not just partisan spin — Republicans themselves are reportedly urging members to avoid public town halls altogether, wary of heated pushback over the legislation. Nunn echoed that sentiment, dismissing town halls as “taxpayer-funded protest events.” Instead, he’s sticking to scripted appearances with farmers and local officials.
Still, he’s spinning the bill as a win for everyday Iowans.
“Then there’s this conversation on what we’ve been able to do to help the waitress in Jefferson, city (of), with no tax on tips, the senior in Greene County with no tax on Social Security, and candidly, first responders, factory workers, everybody working those hard overtime shifts, no tax on overtime, these are all wins,” Nunn told Raccoon Valley Radio. “Most importantly, it’s money back in Iowan’s pockets, money that they’re going to invest in their family and in their local community right there in Greene County. It’s a huge win, people were very grateful for it.”
But if everything’s going so great, why not face the voters?
That’s the question Democratic challengers — and a growing number of constituents — are asking. Nunn’s sudden shift to a private meeting didn’t go unnoticed.
“I guess Zach Nunn doesn’t actually want to hear from us; he changed his ‘forum’ to a private meeting,” said state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines. “We’ve been promoting our town hall publicly, but he gave 24 hours’ notice & changed it to a private event. It’s further proof he’s not interested in hearing from everyday Iowans.”
“I wonder if my invite got lost in the mail!” added Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst.
Both women are vying for the chance to take on Nunn in what’s expected to be one of the most competitive House races in the country.
Adding another twist, Nunn recently made headlines after flirting with a run for Iowa governor — until Trump stepped in. In a social media post, the former president claimed credit for convincing Nunn to stay put in Congress, calling him “a team player, with a tremendous future — and 100% MAGA.”
That endorsement may play well with Trump’s base, but it’s a risky look in a district where independents and swing voters are growing weary of the chaos and culture wars.
