The controversial republican city halls become viral

In a CNN Tiktok video which has been seen more than 3 million times since the end of February, the voice of a voter in Roswell, in Georgia, pierces through an event of the town hall organized by the representative Rich McCormick (R-GA).

“Tyranny rises to the White House, and a man declared himself our king,” says the woman. “So I would like to know, rather, the people Would like to know, what you, the member of the congress and your colleagues members of the congress will do to brake the megalomaniac in the White House. His voice is unshakable, each syllable stated perfectly. She speaks slowly and deliberately, and her southern accent brings another type of intensity.

The sound bite is perfect for the age of short -term video. Hundreds of people have downloaded Clips of themselves Synchronize lips to the question of women. “Who is this diva?” is a common response, as well as many iterations of “vote [McCormick] out.”

Throughout the country, town hall and the event in Roswell have become the framework of voters and their elected officials to find themselves face to face – often with controversy. Republican representatives were hooked with their own events And drowned After giving unsatisfactory answers. In Idaho, A woman was dragged by an event by workers of a private security company for “heckling” legislators. In a different chronology, these confrontations may have circulated in local reports but not much further; Now they become viral, even waving those with the highest levels of government. THE difficult questions come from people who identify themselves as republicans As well as democrats, and many attend the events of the town hall for the first time, activated by the evisation of the federal government and services.

Lindsay Defranco arrived at Roswell town hall on February 20 long before starting time to ensure that she would get a seat. (The event had overflow rooms to contain all the participants.)

Defranco, who had never attended a town hall before, said that she decided to withdraw her phone and record the event so that she could share clips, not published and without comment. On Tiktok, Defranco shared a video of an exchange on School lunches for low -income children (100,000 views); legislation that would deprive women from their right to vote (6 million views); And now viral “Tyrannia gets up in the White House” (630,000 views).

She saw McCormick interviewed in everything, from the Elon Musk Government Department (DOGE), support for Ukraine, school lunch programs for children. Defranco, who grew up in the region and who recently returned, said that McCormick had appeared to be “disdainful” and “dark”.

“I don’t think he listened very well, and if he was, he didn’t really want to get involved with us,” said Defranco. “At one point, he said,” I don’t think you come here in good faith “, and that really pushed us too. Because we say to ourselves:” Are you here in good faith? ” »»

“I really wanted people to see what exactly what was asked, that is exactly what was said, and that is how people reacted,” explains Defranco. “They had told us that it was not going to be broadcast live. So I thought: “I have to film it right away. I have to document this. “”

Throughout the country, in the Yucca valley, California, representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA) had to face an equally difficult crowd at his community meeting on February 22 in a congress district he won in November. The images show Obernolte be out of the event to noisy huts and cries of the public, who questioned the legislator About Doge, Medicaid cuts and additional nutritional aid program (SNAP) and other problems.

E., a participant in the event, was particularly concerned about how DOGE and the actions of the Trump administration would affect Joshua Tree National Park nearby. The New York Times counted at least 1,000 employees of the National Park who were dismissed by the Trump administration In February, including some to Joshua Tree. (E. asked The penis that they are identified by the first initial only, fearing harassment.)

“It is a large part of our economy. With the reduction of staff, we could obviously lose tourism, ”explains E. about the cuts at Joshua Tree. “It could have an impact on local businesses and jobs, not to mention the environmental degradation, the risk of forest fires. Without Rangers, we have fewer resources to protect our park. »»

E. said they had strong feelings about how Obernolte represented the community, but thought that listening to voters was a key element in his work. The event was filled with voters, and E. said it seemed to be an equal mixture of democrats and republicans. There were young people and members of the older community, veterans and people who had signs related to cuts in national parks. At first, the atmosphere was calm – no one was aggressive or “call”. But that quickly turned, said E., when the public felt that Obernolte was not addressed to the local problems causing themselves. A man, in particular, drew the attention of E.: He was calm and collected, applauding when veterans’ problems were mentioned. But he seemed to lose patience – he started to shake the head back and forth with frustration.

“It’s a bit when [I wanted] To make a video, because I want to document that it does not only come on one side or the other, “explains E ..” It looks a lot like the city itself is unhappy, and that is what resonated with me. “

Republicans, including the president of the room, Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump himself pushed the false complaint These “paid demonstrators” are behind the angry town halls. The decline shaken the Republicans – earlier this month, House Gop Leadership advised representatives to stop holding meetings of the town hall in person. E. and others interviewed to refute the false allegations according to which paid agents are the people who present themselves to events.

“I was there. I am a real human, “says E ..” The simple fact of saying that we are a paid actor is like-when our check happens? Because I would like to give this to our national park, if it is the case ”, jokes ..

Some Republicans have rather chosen to make virtual events, such as Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), who held a telephone town hall on February 27. Autumn Marshall, constituting, says that she wanted to attend the event because she contacted Johnson’s office and never received an answer. Marshall says that she is particularly concerned about the Ministry of Education and wanted to hear what Johnson’s plans were to finance state schools as well as the role of Musk in the government and the future of Medicaid. As the call started, 400 questions had already flocked.

During the call, Marshall said that Johnson seemed to take advantage of the questions of the appellants who congratulated him or congratulated him – but went so far as to cut the appellants who asked him difficult questions. It was not clear for Marshall how the questions were selected in the telephone format.

“I personally think it’s a kind of cop,” says Marshall. “It was really easy for him to just hang up for someone, against being in front of him where people may be able to continue to speak.”

After the event, Marshall produced a series of Tiktoks summarizing the event, describing what the voters had asked and how Johnson had answered.

“I think that [elected officials] Like flying under the radar, and they need more light on them to see what they do, what they say, ”explains Marshall.

Kiersten Pels, Johnson spokesperson, said The penis that the senator held 113 telephone town halls during his 15 years in the Senate. PELS did not answer questions about the question of whether Johnson would organize events in person, but noted that his office has downloaded the recordings of the Town Hall telephone at the offices of X. McCormick and Obernolte did not respond to comments.

Part of what has catapulted Trump in the White House, the twice he was elected, is that he understood how to dominate in the attention economy: he and the members of his administration are posters first, politicians secondly. The Kamala Harris campaign gave Trump a race for his moneyBut the Democrats were not largely incapable of taking control of the media accounts of the Troll accounts, podcasters of conspiracy theory and a right -wing media ecosystem that supports Trump.

Viral city halls have completed organically – and some Democrats have recognized the opening of the power vacuum. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) said last week that he will hold the town halls in republican districts, Like Tim WalzGovernor of Minnesota and Harris running mate. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in the same way said in an interview That if a deep red district wanted to welcome her, she “would be willing to do so”. To face the political voters confronted with anger with republican legislators – then go further and share this frustration online – has the potential to shake the balance of powers, at least on the Internet.

Defranco, who attended the town hall in Roswell, in Georgia, said that the current political moment “lights up a fire” under it. She attended other events with groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the League of Women Voters. In turn, Defranco says that she wants democratic leaders to be more frank and take a stronger position against the Trump agenda.

“In the state of the union, when they wore pink in solidarity, or kept the small paddles of auctions to say things – I do not think it is sufficient,” says Defranco. “I think it looks weak, and I think we will continue to get out of it until we defend ourselves vocally.”