by Marianna Sotomayor, Mariana Alfaro
(c) 2025 , The Washington Post
House Republicans are rethinking how best to reach constituents after a series of combative town halls where protesters vented about President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s policies. GOP leaders tasked with helping keep their majority in the 2026 midterms told lawmakers Tuesday morning to be cautious when holding in-person town halls. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina), the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, encouraged Republicans to hold virtual town halls instead, arguing that in-person town halls are giving protesters an opportunity to cause a scene and drown out their party’s messaging, according to multiple people in the room who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail an off-the-record meeting. “We’ve been encouraging our members to communicate directly with their constituents, and they’re anxious to do that,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said at his weekly news conference following Tuesday’s GOP gathering away from Capitol Hill. “There’s lots of different ways and forums to do it. You could do it in telephone town halls. “We find that to be very, very productive,” he continued, “and more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now.” Over the last two weeks, Republican lawmakers have faced scenes of frustration and outrage in theirs districts, particularly over Musk’s efforts to fire federal employees and cut research funding. Republicans spent last week blaming Democrats for riling up voters. Johnson claimed Tuesday that “professional protesters” are descending on town halls “for the cameras.” “We all know it,” he said, “and I think it’s wise not to play into it right now.” Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-California) denied protesters were there on their behalf. “These are not paid individuals, no matter how many times the speaker says it, these are Americans who are angry,” he said. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC, the campaign and fundraising arm for House Democrats, are in touch with state parties and local groups when GOP lawmakers are holding town halls, but are not directing people to attend, according to people familiar with the strategy who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. “We don’t need to send paid protesters into your town hall meetings,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) posted on social media Monday. “The American people are with us.” At a town hall in rural Kansas on Saturday, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) shut down his event after participants shouted over each other to express concerns about veterans’ jobs being cut as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce and asking whether he believes Russia invaded Ukraine. Attendees shouted and booed as Marshall abruptly ended the meeting, saying, “We’re going to vote you out,” and “You’re not done!” according to a video clip from the meeting. In Tennessee, protesters gathered inside and outside an event held by Rep. Diana Harshbarger, a Freedom Caucus member, expressing displeasure over Trump and Musk’s actions, and demanding that the Republican congresswoman stand up to them. According to footage of the event shared by local TV station WJHL, the crowd repeatedly interrupted the congresswoman, leading her to plea with the crowd to stop. The combative town halls are reminiscent of those in 2009, when angry voters and a nascent tea party movement fought with Democratic lawmakers across the country over their plans to reform health care. Lawmakers suspended their in-person events, and the Obama administration claimed that the town hall protests were not organic but rather “manufactured anger.” A liberal echo of 2009 came in the spring of 2017, when protesters, angry at efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, swarmed Republicans during their district visits. At the time, the Trump administration also sought to depict the disgruntled voters as a “small group of people disrupting something, in many cases, for media attention.” House Republicans remain split on how to reach their constituents, with some arguing the tele-townhall approach is best for now. Others, like Rep. Richard McCormick (R-Georgia), said he will continue speaking with constituents despite tense in-person debates because people need to know lawmakers are listening. At a recent town hall in Texas, Rep. Keith Self (R) told reporters that he understands it is necessary for constituents to speak directly to their lawmakers about what is happening in Washington. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-California) was confronted by voters who questioned the firing of Joshua Tree National Park employees by Musk and Trump, according to KVCR, the local NPR station. Audience members shouted over Obernolte, who claimed that the park employees would be rehired, but offered no further details. “You guys having fun?” Obernolte told the audience. “I’m having fun.” – – – Hannah Knowles and Maegan Vasquez contributed to this report.