LINCOLN, Neb. — Boos. Jeering. Laughter. As Republicans over August recess try to sell voters on President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget law and the rest of his agenda, Rep. Mike Flood’s town hall on Monday gave an indication of how hard making that case may be.
The lawmaker faced an auditorium full of protesters who barely let him get any words out without interruption, raging about everything from the Epstein files to health care. If town halls speak to broader political moments, this one was a release valve for frustration over what’s happening in Washington.
At one point Flood, who represents a safely red district that both he and Trump won in 2024, was asked to explain why Democrats were wrong in labeling Republicans’ budget law a “disaster.” “I think I’ve done a good job tonight of giving you my opinion on the ‘one big, beautiful bill,” Flood, who supported it, said. “Hey, is any bill perfect? No. Is any bill going to get everybody to sign on and say yes? But this bill did pass. It was signed by the president, and just like the major achievements of prior administrations, this one will provide certainty to Americans on what their taxes will be going into 2026.”