As Americans face rising costs and worry about cuts to vital programs, many Republican lawmakers are nowhere to be found.
During a two-week congressional recess—traditionally a time for town halls and face-to-face conversations with voters—GOP members are skipping public events in large numbers. Instead of hearing from their constituents, many are staying silent or hiding behind virtual formats.
Why? Party leaders told them to.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson advised Republicans last month to avoid traditional town halls. His warning came after multiple GOP lawmakers faced angry crowds and protests over the party’s policies.
Now, Republican leadership is following through. Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Policy Chair Kevin Hern all have no town halls scheduled. Neither do other top Republicans.
For those who are holding events, access is tight. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is holding an in-person event on April 15, but only for people who pre-register and show valid ID. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is doing the same on April 21. His event is limited to residents of his district with ID and pre-registration.
Others, like Reps. Tim Burchett and Chip Roy, are skipping in-person events altogether and opting for telephone or virtual town halls.
The move is a response to recent backlash on the ground. In March, Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood was loudly booed at a town hall. North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards was heckled by a veteran. Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz faced a crowd full of angry voters.
Instead of engaging, Republican leaders are pointing fingers. Donald Trump and others in the party claim the disruptions are organized and that protestors are being “paid” by Democrats or liberal groups. There’s no evidence to support that.
Meanwhile, Democrats have stepped in to fill the silence. They’re hosting “The People’s Town Halls” in Republican districts, inviting the absent representatives to show up and defend their records. In some cases, constituents have shown up to empty-chair events—speaking their minds without a single lawmaker in the room.
What’s driving the anger? Many voters are deeply concerned about possible cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Others are worried about major government changes under Elon Musk’s new Department of Government Efficiency, which has been making sweeping moves inside federal agencies.
“While vulnerable Republicans continue to run scared because they’re voting to raise costs, gut Medicaid, and threaten working families livelihoods, we’re going to make sure voters know they don’t have to wait until Election Day to hold them accountable” Rep. Suzan DelBene, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
Republican leadership pushed back. In a statement to NBC News, an NRCC spokesperson said: “In a desperate attempt to distract voters from the chaos in their own party, Democrats are resorting to political theater that panders to the far-left radicals instead of addressing the concerns of everyday voters who have already rejected their out-of-touch agenda.”
