Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) has company in adopting a district where a Republican member of Congress won’t hold a town hall. On Monday, Maloney held his town hall in New York’s 19th Congressional District since Rep. John Faso wouldn’t, asking the crowd “Where the heck is your congressman?” And Tuesday evening, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) went to Rep. Martha McSally’s district to do the same.
On the morning of the Trumpcare vote, McSally—one of 24 Trumpcare-supporting Republicans who represent districts where Donald Trump got less than 50 percent of the vote—told other Republicans “Let’s get this fucking thing done.” But when it comes to her constituents, she has less to say. So Gallego showed up, doing an event sponsored by the Arizona Democratic Party in McSally’s district. He explained the move to the New Republic:
On Monday, Gallego told me it might have previously been considered “rude” or “un-statesmanlike” to go into another representative’s district, but these old norms no longer apply in the era of President Donald Trump. “This is a new time in politics, and we’re going to have to use new tactics,” he said. “You’re dealing with a pathological liar as president. You’re dealing with a speaker of the House who will not stand up to the president and defend the authority of Congress. The blatant lies that are coming out of Paul Ryan’s mouth and the Republican Party are just abhorrent.”
If Republicans won’t face their constituents to explain their healthcare votes, they’re going to leave it up to Democrats. Good for Maloney and Gallego and other Democrats who’ve said they’ll step in to talk to people abandoned by frightened Republicans.
Make them pay: Donate $1 right now to each of the Democratic nominee funds targeting vulnerable House Republicans who voted to destroy access to health care.