The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee has advised lawmakers to avoid holding in-person town halls due to disruptions from protesters.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
Amid rising tensions over government cuts and budget reforms, GOP leaders are advising members to explore alternative ways to communicate with voters -- suggesting that traditional in-person forums may no longer be the most effective method in communicating their message to voters.
During a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, urged his colleagues to explore alternative ways to connect with constituents, such as telephone town halls or smaller gatherings.
Hudson later told reporters that "in-person town halls are no longer effective because Democrat activists are threatening democracy by disrupting the actual communication at town halls," according to NBC News.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) echoed this sentiment, explaining that recent town halls were filled with "professional protesters," and it would be wise not to "play into that" by holding open forums, The Associated Press reported.
The shift follows a series of viral incidents where GOP lawmakers were met with angry crowds. In one case, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) ended a town hall early after facing boos and jeers from attendees critical of cuts made by President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency.
Similarly, Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) was met with chants of "vote you out" during a recent town hall in his district, with the Collin County GOP attributing the disruption to Democratic activists.
The current tension is fueled by the fallout from federal government cuts, which have led to job losses for many workers and sparked widespread outrage. Democrats have been quick to highlight these issues, intensifying the protests at GOP events.
Democrats were also quick to criticize the GOP for "hiding from their own constituents."
"So House Republicans' political strategy is 'see no families nor workers,' 'hear no protesters,' 'speak to no one' and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans' health care? Got it," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement to NBC.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM