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Why Republicans are hiding from their own voters
The numbers make it clear: Republicans have almost completely stopped holding town hall meetings in which they’re forced to confront their own constituents. So far, over the course of 2026, Republicans have held just 39 town halls, while their Democratic opponents have held 451. This is according to new reporting from MS NOW, which wrote on Thursday, “The Republican town hall is disappearing. Once a mainstay of life as a lawmaker, in-person town halls have become increasingly rare for House Republicans, who are opting instead for virtual events and more private meetings with constituents.”
MS NOW spoke with GOP lawmakers who cited three reasons Republicans are hiding from their public. First, many are avoiding in-person events because they fear being protested or heckled. Others said virtual events allowed them to reach more people at once. And others still raised concerns over safety, noting the assassination attempts against President Donald Trump and other officials. Whatever their reasoning, says MS NOW, “Republicans acknowledged a broad rejection of the traditional town hall.”
“They’re a setup,” one House Republican told MS NOW, requesting anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic. “It’s just a setup to get us — get you off guard. And for me, personally, it’s a good way to get shot. There’s a lot of crazies out there right now.” They added, “I just don’t feel like there is any gain to be had.”
According to another, “It’s the disruptive factor. It’s the screaming factor. But it’s also, truthfully, a security factor. The Republicans have been the ones shot at. Republicans have been the ones attacked.”
“If you actually want to have a conversation, hear questions and give answers, it makes no sense to not do a tele-town hall,” said another. “It’s the best way to do it.”
While Republicans offer an array of justifications for the decision, according to MS NOW, “the shift risks breaking the congressional feedback loop between lawmakers and the voters they represent. In-person events are not just opportunities for members to explain their votes; they are a rare opportunity for lawmakers to hear how constituents are experiencing their policies. The backlash at these events can be a reality check for members, and sometimes motivate them to regulate and reassess their positions.”
As MS NOW explains, “The frequency of in-person town halls for Republicans changed dramatically in spring 2025, when House GOP leadership — led by Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee — encouraged lawmakers to avoid in-person town halls and opt for virtual gatherings. That guidance came after several GOP town halls went viral as constituents and activists protested policies of the Trump administration, putting lawmakers on defense in front of cameras. Voter criticism spanned several topics, from rising costs to Medicaid cuts in the GOP’s reconciliation bill. Even the Jeffrey Epstein files were a major flashpoint.”
While Republicans have engaged with fewer and fewer town halls, doing 229 in the first half of 2024, 122 in 2025, and now just 39 in 2026, Democratic lawmakers have done the opposite. In the first half of 2024, Democrats held 214 town halls. The next year, that exploded to 924. This year that number is down to 451, but still much higher than their Republican counterparts. Some individual Democrats have done more of these events than the entire GOP, and some have begun holding events in Republican districts to fill the void.
“Republicans know their agenda is deeply unpopular, so they’re hiding from their constituents,” said Representative Brendan Boyle(D-PA), who has been holding town halls in a nearby opponent’s district. “After voting to gut healthcare, raise costs and shower billionaires with tax breaks, they won’t even defend their record back home. I’ve held town halls in Republican districts, and I’ll keep showing up where my Republican colleagues won’t.”
One Republican, Representative Mike Flood (R-NE), has continued to hold events even though he was lambasted at one last year. He told MS NOW that he had vowed to hold three a year in 2022, and aims to deliver, saying, “Things only get better when you go to the town square and you have an exchange of ideas.”
But his fellow Republicans don’t agree, expressing a clear preference for campaigning online. Their opponents have bashed this approach. According to Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, “If you no longer believe it’s worth your time to listen to the people who elected you, then you no longer deserve the job.”
