House Speaker Mike Johnson and Richard Hudson, the chair of the GOP’s fundraising body, are telling Republican members of Congress to stop holding town hall meetings because some were interrupted in recent weeks – and in response, one Democrat is offering to fill the void.
The Republicans who have felt the heat include Rich McCormick (R-Suwanee), who represents part of Hall County. The other Hall County representative, Andrew Clyde (R-Jackson County), has also been a target of protests, but from a different angle. (SEE BELOW FOR EARLIER STORIES.)
But while the party leadership’s edict might save some Republican politicians from public humiliation, it could also deprive Americans of opportunities to interact with their elected officials, one political science expert says it would prevent people from letting their representatives know they are not happy with the “increasingly divisive direction” of the Trump administration.
“It’s certainly a unique view of representation that representatives should hear only from constituents who agree with them,” said Marjorie Hershey, professor emeritus of political science at Indiana University Bloomington told theguardian.com.
“But it’s entirely in keeping with the recent direction of the Republican party: to become more and more extreme because they listen only to their far-right base.”
EARLIER STORIES: UPDATE: Both Hall congressmen vocally criticized for support of Trump agenda
Meanwhile, in response to the “don’t hold town halls” message from GOP leadership, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has offered to fill the void by visiting Deep Red states, such as Georgia, to hold town halls for those who feel a disconnect with their representatives.