Dems Want to Fight Trump. They’re Not Sure How.
They’re hoping everyone else will pick up the slack.
Frederick, Maryland
“I’M GLAD IT WAS A VERY civilized group,” a woman quipped to me as she exited the auditorium at Hood College about an hour north of Washington, D.C. Wednesday afternoon. Town halls—the public forums in which civically engaged citizens can voice concerns to or even simply berate their elected representatives—are quickly becoming compulsory viewing in American politics.
They’ve been the site of some of the more angry protests over Elon Musk’s DOGE. So much so that Republicans have largely opted to avoid in-person town hall meetings with constituents. Rep. Rich Hudson (R-N.C.), the House GOP’s campaign boss this cycle, instructed members to stay away from the trap of an uncontrolled encounter with angry constituents. Republicans have since pivoted to the virtual town halls that can accommodate more attendees, albeit with tighter strictures on their engagement. However, a small number have pressed on with live events, facing auditoriums of raucous crowds and severe booing. One Republican, Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, even had staffers check party registration at the door to reduce the likelihood of the proceedings becoming a spectacle of dissatisfaction. Biggs claimed his office was not the event’s primary sponsor, but he didn’t deny the GOP-only admittance policy.
The event I attended in Frederick was not a Republican town hall. It was held in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, which is represented by freshman Democrat April McClain Delaney. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Delaney’s cohost, represented part of the town before redistricting took it out of his district. Both lawmakers were there to assuage fears and reassure voters that they were indeed fighting back against Musk and President Donald Trump.