Fewer Republican lawmakers are holding town halls during the two-week congressional recess, weeks after the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman advised them to skip town halls or hold virtual town halls.
During the weeks when lawmakers return to their districts, it’s common for many to host town halls to connect with constituents and hear which issues are affecting them.
But it seems many Republicans are taking the advice of Richard Hudson, the NRCC chair, and avoiding them entirely — or at least changing their format, NBC News reported on Monday.
Hudson advised congressional Republicans to do so in March after several lawmakers faced angry constituents, protesters and hecklers at town halls.
Republican leaders, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Policy Chairman Kevin Hern, do not have town halls scheduled.
Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Conference Chair Lisa McClain held telephone town halls before the recess.
Of the GOP reps holding town halls during the break, some will be telephone or virtual town halls, while others have restricted in-person access to prevent hecklers and protesters.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is holding an in-person town hall on April 15, but those who wish to attend must pre-register and provide a valid ID. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is only allowing pre-registered individuals with valid ID proving they live in his district to his town hall on April 21.
Other reps, such as Tim Burchett and Chip Roy, are holding town halls during the break, but they will be virtual or by telephone.
The new precautions are part of efforts to reduce heated town halls where fiery constituents have confronted lawmakers, leading to security concerns.
Last month, Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood was booed and yelled at during a town hall, North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards was heckled by a veteran at his town hall and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz was met with angry crowds at one of her town halls.
President Donald Trump and other GOP leaders have claimed those causing disruptions at town halls are being “paid” by Democrats or liberal advocacy groups.
There’s no evidence those disrupters were paid, but liberal groups have promoted GOP town halls, hoping to encourage constituents to confront their representatives over the administration’s agenda.
Democrats have also been holding what they call “The People’s Town Halls” in red districts. The events welcome the sitting representative to join other lawmakers and Democrats in discussions about the current administration.
Already, some constituents have attended empty-chair town halls, where they voice their concerns about the government without their representatives present.
Many voters have been raising concerns about potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as well as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency making sweeping changes to established agencies and departments.
“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.
A spokesperson for the NRCC told NBC News, “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.”
