Since losing both houses of Congress and the White House last fall, Democrats have struggled to find a new message amid a lack of leadership. For now, they’ve latched onto two words in hopes of revitalizing their beleaguered party: town halls.
Congressman Mike Flood has held three in-person town halls this year. For Democrats attending these events, they generally weren’t occasions for genuine Q&A. Instead, they were opportunities to yell about “Project 2025,” “January 6,” and “fascism” in front of TV cameras—and then boo at anything Flood said in response.
This tactic is nothing new, of course. Over eight years ago, Senator Deb Fischer held a town hall at Metropolitan Community College, which defined for me the true purpose of such events for the left—a platform for Democrats to showcase performative outrage.
The room was filled with disgruntled activists holding signs that read “Save the ACA” and “Demand Single Payer.” One man stood and screamed at Fischer, wearing a shirt that said, “If you’re not gay-friendly, take your bitch ass home.”
I didn’t know Fischer well at the time, but seeing how she handled the hostile crowd left me impressed. If the left had thought an angry mob would fluster her, they were sorely mistaken. Answering questions calmly and patiently only made her look strong and professional. Fischer went on to win reelection in 2018 with over 57% of the vote.
Many other town halls I’ve attended have devolved into similar performative spectacles. This is likely why Congressman Don Bacon has opted for “tele-town hall” events this year, where such performances are impossible.
Congressman Flood showed considerable courage by holding another in-person town hall in Lincoln last night, especially knowing the kind of crowd it would attract. While it could have been an opportunity for constituents to engage in good-faith dialogue, its hijacking by left-wing protesters may actually work to Flood’s benefit.
Yelling and jeering at a candidate who is genuinely trying to have a reasonable discussion only makes him appear mature and composed—while his opponents look like petulant children. However cathartic the event might have been for the hecklers, their behavior only enhanced Flood’s statesmanlike demeanor. Last year, Mike Flood won reelection with 60% of the vote, and the left-wing hecklers last night likely only bolstered his chances for another victory in 2026.
